


Of Sun And Sea And You

by JinxedAmbitions



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blue Crush AU, Bottom Dean, Businessman Cas, Drug Use, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, M/M, Surfer Dean, Surfing AU, alcohol use, mild PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-01-27
Packaged: 2018-03-09 05:43:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 37,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3238478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JinxedAmbitions/pseuds/JinxedAmbitions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a surfing accident that nearly took his life, Dean is trying to pull himself back together. Bills are piling up. Raising a rebellious Sam isn’t easy, and he’s constantly worried he’ll lose custody of his brother. Dean is still having nightmares about the accident, but making a name for himself at Pipe might be his only viable option to solve their financial woes. With the weight of the world bearing down on his shoulders, Dean might just find salvation in the most unlikely of people.</p><p>Castiel has lived worry-free life since he was born into the richest family on the island. As the son of real estate mogul Naomi Novak, he wanted for nothing, except the freedom to make his own choices and be his own man. He moved to New York to start his own career away from his mother’s influence, but a family reunion brings him back to the place of his birth. When Castiel’s brother signs him up for a surfing lesson, he finds there’s a lot more he can learn from his green-eyed instructor than just how to catch a wave.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First off, this is based on the movie Blue Crush (2002), so I don't own any of the ideas that came from that movie.
> 
> All of this beautiful art is by [Rhapsodean](http://rhapsodean.tumblr.com/)  
> Thank you Adele for such an awesome prompt and for such beautiful artwork. I'm so glad I got to work with you on this. I don't think I could have had more fun doing it and sharing things back and forth with you.
> 
> I'd like to thank Elle for once again for being the best beta and understanding the gibberish I put on the page when I'm half asleep and making it into something that sounds a lot more like English. I also want to thank her for checking over extra bits for me even yesterday as it came down to the wire.

 

 

 

Dean was having the nightmare again. He could feel the pressure on his lungs as he was pushed down into the reef, no chance of fighting Mother Nature. He could feel the pain in his skull as it hit the reef, and he could feel the jagged, razor sharp edges of it tear at his skin. Bouncing along with the mighty current, shredded as he went. His only hope of rescue the thin plastic tether of his leash, but if the waves pushed him too deep, even his board wouldn't surface to be a beacon.

Dean always woke as the water pressed into his lungs in a rush. He shot up in his cot, choking on air his body didn't register. He sat there chest heaving, covered in sweat, shaking like he had every night since the accident. He pushed out of bed, his bare feet meeting the dirty floor, he couldn't bring himself to wash even though Child Services was probably due for one of their surprise inspections any day now.

He growled as he rifled through the chest at the end of his bed to find that his bottle of whiskey was missing. He was going to kill Sammy if he'd taken it, and he was going to have words with Charlie and Benny if they were on their crusade to save him again. He was allowed to have a goddamn drink to calm this fuckin' shaking.

With nothing but a long sleepless night ahead of him, Dean pulled on a pair of board shorts and flip flops and tiptoed out of the bungalow. It was more a shack than a bungalow. It had gone from having character to being condemnable after John had left abruptly with his latest replacement for their mother. Dean felt himself shake even more at the thought of his father.

He sighed as he looked at Baby. If he started her to drive down to the beach, everyone in the house would know he wasn't sleeping again. It would involve lectures about training from Benny, lectures about taking care of himself for once from Charlie, and that betrayed look Sam always got when Dean was low and refusing to talk about it.

So, he stole their neighbor Pam's bike from between their houses. He found his oldest board and tucked it under his arm as he began to pedal down to the beach. The sun wouldn't rise for at least another hour and a half, but Dean didn't care. Being out in the fresh air and hearing the waves crash and recede would be enough to calm his brain. Surfing had always been that way. It tamed the anger inside him, and there was a lot of anger. The ocean had always just clicked for Dean.

It was a family tradition of sorts. His father had been a surfer. He'd won a couple local competitions when Dean was barely out of diapers, but not much more. He'd taught the boys to surf as soon as they could swim. Mary wasn't around to stop him once Sam was old enough, and sure Sam had nearly drowned his first time out, but both boys picked it up like they were born for it.

Dean pedaled down the winding road too fast to be safe without any sort of light, other than the moon above. A motor-less demon ride, and Dean certainly faced any number of his demons on these nights as he headed for the coast. Any second a driver could come around the bend and finish what the ocean hadn't just over a year ago. It was in the darkness, with his home fading into the distance and the ocean in front of him that he let himself admit he was scared.

He woke every night terrified. Terrified of raising Sammy by himself, terrified that he wouldn't be able to put food on the table, that Sam's school would finally lodge a real complaint with Child Services, that Sammy would get taken from him. He was terrified of the waves, terrified of never riding another barrel, terrified of leaving Sammy without anyone if he did.

Dean pedaled faster, board catching the air every few feet, jerking his body back just a little, keeping him tethered to reality, to the night. He caught air as he rode down the hill to the beach. He barely grunted as the bike met pavement again.

Dean was too lost in his worries to notice the thick sweat covering his face, chest, and back. He was too worried about bills due by the end of the week to think about the headlights coming up the hill. It was the jerk of his board as it caught a particularly strong gust of air that jerked Dean back again as he crossed the sleek car's lights. He cut the bike to the right, swerving out of the way of the car just as the driver laid on the horn and hit the brakes.

They both fishtailed, and Dean flew past the driver's side door with scant inches to spare, somehow getting his bike under control again. Had he a hand to spare, he would've flipped the driver off, but he focused on getting away as fast as he could. He could hear the car door open behind him and a man yelling angrily into the night, but Dean was already gone, still clutching his board. Another slim escape.

He dumped the bike at the side of the road, near the beach he favored. No one would steal it. If anything, they'd return it to Pam, because her idiot neighbor was at it again. He took off at a jog over the brush and grass toward the beach. It felt good to break a sweat. He spent most of his days in the shop now, and while he loved designing boards, sanding them down, panting them, finding the perfect shape for everyone that came through his shop; it wasn't the same as riding some of the world's largest waves on the regular. But, bills needed to be paid, and so far riding waves hadn't paid them, but Dean still hoped.

He slowed down as he made it to the sand. Just feeling it under his feet calmed some of the thoughts racing through his mind. He stumbled across the beach, following the light of the moon toward the tide line. He collapsed to his knees as he got to the damp sand, and he let his board fall beside him. He put his hands on his knees and just breathed.

He'd lived on the island all of his life, so the scent of the ocean shouldn't have been distinguishable to him, but he could always smell it. It always triggered the only memories he had of his mother. She taught him how to swim in one of the lagoons not too far from here. Her smiles were still etched into his memory. She led him around the calm waters of the lagoon on her board, letting him crawl its length as she towed him.

“Planning on surfing or staring?” Garth, a local, brought Dean back to the present. The sun was beginning to creep over the horizon, and the water was getting close to where he sat.

“I'll surf,” Dean snapped, but Garth didn't flinch. He was used to Dean's bark.

“I called Charlie. A good set's building, so if you want some time to yourself, I'd get out there before the whole island is here, ready to fight for every ripple,” Garth said. He didn't take a seat with Dean, choosing to stand and watch each set form instead. Garth pretty much slept on the beach. He watched the sets build and diminish, noted the wind, and if something was coming he knew, and within fifteen minutes so did the entire area. The locals trusted the 'Garth Report' more than any meteorologist. The man had a gift for reading the ocean.

“Thanks,” Dean said, pulling his board over his knees and feeling the wax to make sure it was fresh enough.

“No problemo, man. It's always a pleasure to see you paddle out,” Garth told him, and it was painfully sentimental. Garth had been right there when the jet-ski had brought Dean to shore, unconscious and bloody. The man hugged him every time he saw him ever since. Dean really didn't mind, but he kicked up a hell of a fuss. Truth was that sometimes Dean wanted a hug to tether him to the present like nothing else, he was just too chickenshit to admit it. John Winchester would tell him to suck it up.

“Yeah, you should paddle out sometime,” Dean said over his shoulder, pushing to his feet and jogging toward the surf. His leash was carefully secured, but Dean checked it three times before he jumped into the water, landing on his board paddling.

Paddling out was the hardest part these days. He psyched himself out every time he had to duck dive under a breaker, the panic from the accident rising with every second he stayed under before popping up the other side. His arms were strong though, and he paddled out faster than most.

The waves were building nicely, and Dean found himself falling into his old pattern as soon as he was past the break. He watched the shoreline to see who was around and what obstacles he could face. He watched down the beach how the waves formed and broke, getting an idea where he wanted to drop in. Then he looked out to sea, watching the ocean swell to meet him.

This was his home. The open water. Out here there were no bills to pay, no responsibilities he hadn't been ready for, no doubts and fears. This right here. The water beneath, the sky above, and the six foot piece of fiberglass he sat on were his home.

Dean saw a wave forming and began to paddle to his right. He watched the wave swell and he paddled to meet it, dropping in as the shoulder formed. His mind provided the angles and the speed he needed without even being asked, it was just natural. The wave formed beautifully as Dean dropped in, cutting down and across its face looking for a barrel to form, but as soon as he saw the crest of the wave begin to fold over to form the barrel, everything tunneled.

He hesitated seeing the reef in his mind's eye. Feeling the phantom pressure of the ocean tumbling him. His weight was all wrong as he pulled himself together, but he had no choice but to keep going in hopes of getting out the other side. The barrel closed over him as his speed slowed from his weight being too far back, and he felt himself get torn off his board and swept up in the wave.

He tumbled for several seconds, fighting flashbacks away as he let the wave take him. It wasn't a huge one, so he went with it, let it pull him to the relative safety of the shore. When he came up, he could see the crisp blue of the morning sky above. He didn't hear another wave roaring toward him, so he took a ragged breath.

“Getting good at takin' a tumble, Winchester,” Ruby's voice called to him.

Dean growled as he pulled his board back under him. “Fuck off, Ruby,” he called back, only to see Sam paddling out beside her. His long gangly frame practically dwarfed the board he rode. Dean would need to make him a new one as soon as he had some time at the shop. However, right then, he wanted to strangle his little brother.

“You have school in an hour, Sammy,” he shouted, paddling over to where Benny and Charlie were making their way out.

“And you have work. What of it?” Sam asked defiantly.

Dean groaned. The pissed off teenage years were not something Dean was enjoying. He knew that Sam was mad that John up and left then, even though Sam and John had _never_ gotten along, but Dean was really sick of bearing the brunt of that anger. Dean grumbled all the way over to Benny who didn't look any more pleased with Dean than Sam did.

“Give the kid a break, Dean. He woke up to his big brother missing again,” Benny said with a pointed look.

“Yeah, well if someone didn't hide my alcohol again—”

“You would be in no condition to take him to school or yourself to work, so can it,” Benny retorted. Well, that cleared up who took it. It also meant that it had been dumped down the drain instead of hidden elsewhere like Sam and Charlie did. “And don't think I didn't see the way you froze out there. You do that at Pipe, and this time the ocean might not be so forgiving.”

“What crawled up your ass this morning?”

“ _Dean_ ,” Charlie said sharply. She never used that tone on him. She was always tender and positive. She was the one that coaxed him back into the water after the accident. She was the one that playfully competed with him to do the most outrageous tricks on the smaller waves. She was the one that didn't get mad at him for being bitter and depressed. She just helped him push through.

Benny did too, but Benny didn't let him sit and pity himself. Benny dragged him out of bed on the mornings he was too hungover to do it himself. He was the one that drove down to the bar and threw Dean's dumb ass over his shoulder and carried him home.

“Sorry,” Dean apologized, paddling out faster, so he wouldn't have to look at how worried they were for him.

The tension eased quickly once they were out there together. Benny and Charlie caught a few waves between scouting rides for Dean. Benny had an excellent eye, and seemed to know exactly what a wave would do even before it was anything more than a distant swell of the tide. Charlie was an excellent cheerleader, and her excited yelling kept Dean grounded as he cut across a wave then cut back to launch himself into an aerial. He landed it without any difficulty and rode the wave out before turning to paddle back out, but Benny was waving him off.

“Eight-fifteen, brother! I'll grab, Sammy. You head in,” Benny called across the distance. Dean nodded regretfully. He'd just started to feel the comfort ease back in as he took each wave, and he had to cut it short. Charlie was taking one last wave in, and he cheered her on as she nimbly stepped up the longboard and hung the toes of her left foot over the front of the board as she bent her back leg to balance the board. She gave him a cheeky smile as she bowed slightly and backpedaled to the center of the board.

They rode the small breakers into shore together, and headed toward the showers, so they could rinse off before getting into Baby. “You really scared him this morning,” Charlie said softly as the stepped out of the water.

“I'm sorry. I know Sammy gets worried, but I can't just lie in bed and hope I get twenty more minutes—”

“Not Sammy, Benny. He saw you bobble on that ride as we were coming onto the beach, and he was off like a shot,” she said, looking uncomfortable like she was betraying Benny.

“I wipe out all the time. It's no big deal,” Dean waved it off, but Charlie shook her head as she peeled her rash guard off under the spray of the shower.

“Dean, you've been off the rails for a while. With this competition coming up, and bills, and Sammy. He's worried you might...do something,” Charlie explained, her shoulders rolling in, unintentionally making herself smaller.

“Do something? Like kill myself? Are you kidding me? I wouldn't do that to Sam. I wouldn't do that to you guys!” Dean argued, trying to keep from shouting.

“Maybe not intentionally, but Dean take a good look at what you've been doing since the accident, and tell me that it doesn't look like your chasing death instead of sponsorship,” Charlie cringed at her own words, and it hit Dean like a slap in the face.

“I'll be in the car,” he growled, turning off his shower, just as Sam and Benny were coming over to them. He grabbed his board and marched away before he said something he shouldn't. He knew Charlie was right, which made it sting all the more. He strapped his board to the roof of the car, grabbing some clothing out of the trunk before changing in the parking lot and sliding into the car.

He blew out a deep breath once he was behind the wheel. Dean didn't want to die. In fact, leaving everyone behind was one of his biggest fears. Raising Sam may have terrified him, but it was probably his greatest accomplishment. Sammy was smart. He was an honors student, and he had dreams of becoming a lawyer. Sammy was going to make it out of here, but Dean needed to stick around to make sure he kept pushing himself, so he wouldn't end up like Dean and all of the other dropouts that littered their part of the island.

“We taking Sam to school or sitting here all morning?” Benny asked softly.

Dean realized everyone was in the car, and he was zoning out while he white knuckled the wheel. “Sorry, we're going,” he said as he took the key that Benny held out, and started the car. “How late are we running?” Dean asked as he whipped Baby out of the parking spot.

“Should make it,” Benny said, looking at his watch. Dean glanced in the rear view mirror to see Sammy studying him cautiously.

They didn't have time for a heart-to-heart or a fight if they were all going to make it to their respective destinations on time, so Dean just made a face in the mirror, and Sam snorted, rolling his eyes and looking out the window. Benny gave Dean's thigh a nudge and an apologetic look, but Dean waved him off.

When they pulled up to the school, Principal Henriksen was standing outside greeting the sleepy eyed kids that wandered up. “Out, out, out Sammy!” Dean urged, hoping to get away without a lecture about dropping out and letting his brilliant brother miss school every time Garth said the day was going to be huge.

“I'm going, Dean, jeez,” Sam rolled his eyes, just as Dean made eye contact with Victor.

“Not fast enough, Sammy,” Benny laughed as Principal Henriksen started to head over toward their vehicle.

“Shit,” Sam said as he finally noticed, and he was out like a shot.

“Don't let him catch you, Sammy. Gotta go fast!” Charlie shouted at him out the window as Dean peeled away from the curb.

“You are so lucky our phone got disconnected, because that man would be calling you daily,” Benny laughed once they were back on the main road. Charlie watched an angry looking Victor fade into the distance.

“Yeah, and he likes you. I'd hate to see what he'd do if you hadn't been one of his favorites,” Charlie said with a shudder.

“He'd have called Sam's case manager a long time ago,” Dean said with a sigh.

Dean dropped Benny and Charlie off at their jobs then headed for the shop. He had several custom jobs he needed to finish, so it would at least be an interesting day, though he wished he had the time to start a new board for Sam. The kid had just hit a growth spurt, and Dean had a feeling there would be more to come, if he himself were any indicator.

Dean pulled into Singer's Surf Shop just before nine, and the man himself was outside putting the boards up on display. “Garth told me you paddled out this morning,” Bobby said instead of greeting Dean.

“Word travels fast,” Dean grunted as he locked Baby and wandered over to help set up.

“Not everyone's phone got disconnected because they were too stubborn to let their uncle cover the bill for a month,” Bobby grumbled, but there was no heat behind it.

“Not everyone's uncle is already stretching himself to support his nephews whose deadbeat father ran out again. Not takin' your charity, Bobby. I work for my money,” Dean retorted, raising his hand to shade his eyes from the sun.

“Except when you teach the tourists how to surf,” Bobby laughed waving Dean inside.

“Putting up with their entitled bullshit is work. Overcharging them prevents me from telling them just where they can shove that board they're renting from us,” Dean laughed as he stepped back into his workshop.

“You'll need to be on your best behavior. You should have a client coming in for lessons some time this week. Gabriel Novak paid for the lessons,” Bobby said seriously, running his thumb over the rail of one of Dean's custom projects.

“Gabriel Novak? Like the family that owns half the properties on the island?” Dean asked skeptically, pulling his mask down, so he could start the design he had planned.

“Well, seeing as he opened with, 'This is Gabe Novak, billionaire playboy and candy mogul,' I'd have to say that yes, probably one of those Novaks,” Bobby grumbled.

Dean snorted as he pulled the board he planned to work on off the rack against the wall and placed it gently on the sawhorses to start laying the design. “So, am I going to be teaching him or one of his ladies to surf?” Dean asked as he got out his pencil and started to do the basic lines of the flames that the guy had insisted should be licking at his rails. Dean shook his head—the number of requests he got for flames on boards was ridiculous, considering surfing was by definition a water sport. Still, it was easy. At this point he could paint on flames with his eyes closed.

“Your guess is as good as mine. He just said he wanted to pay for a week of lessons, paid double as tip for 'the poor soul who pulls the short straw' and that's all he told me,” Bobby said. “His card went through though, so I don't much care if he sends the biggest diva on earth. If it's that bad, we'll just have Garth run beach drills with them,” Bobby grumbled and turned as the bell above the front door sounded. “When you get a chance, I got a shipment of paddle boards I could use a hand stocking,” he finished before disappearing out into the store proper.

Dean sighed as he glanced out there and watched as a young woman stood at the counter waiting for Bobby to amble over. She looked shrewd as she eyed their display of high performance boards. As soon as Bobby got to her, and they started talking, he could see Bobby pointing back at Dean's workshop. Maybe he'd get another commission out of her, he thought as he wandered back to the flames he could start painting on now that Bobby had left.

He fell into his routine as he pulled on his mask and prepped the board. He picked his colors and started to put down the base colors on the board, letting the deeper reds of the flames curl delicately over the rail. Not traditional style, but Dean liked to put his mark on his boards, often straying from the rules just enough to stand out. That had always been his style both in and out of the water.

He finished the first coat on that board and started sanding down a second one, letting himself get lost in his work before Bobby came back again. “Pam called. She said if she catches you stealing her bike again, she's gonna kick yer ass, and you better bring Sammy over for dinner tonight since she knows yer dumb ass ain't gonna remember to feed 'im,” Bobby relayed as he stood in the doorway, watching Dean steadily glide the sander over the board.

“Tell Pam that I never forget to feed my brother, and he's been tellin' lies just to get her to give him treats,” Dean shouted through the mask and over the sound of the machine.

“Ain't yer secretary, boy,” Bobby called back before disappearing again.

The rest of the day went on with little incident. He made progress on his commissions, Bobby interrupting him to grumble about customers every now and then. Dean loved that he got to spend most of his day in the workshop because customer service was only as bearable as the customer. He loved talking shop with pros that came in or even locals needing repairs or a new board. However, being a reasonably priced shop near several popular resorts, Bobby's saw any number of tourists just coming in to browse and ask inane questions without actually purchasing anything. Even then, he wouldn't mind if they didn't act like they had priority over the regulars that came in with a broken board that needed to swap out during a good swell.

Once Bobby and Dean packed up shop around seven, they walked down to the water with a couple beers and watched the latecomers take the evening waves. “You really plannin' on competing at Pipe?” Bobby asked as he cracked open his beer.

“Only local nobody to get an invite to the wildcard competition, can't really pass that up can I?” Dean replied, taking a pull of his own.

“Boy, you don't have to do anything you ain't ready for,” Bobby said seriously. A surfer wiped out on a sloppy break.

“I've got to do this, Bobby. Got to prove I can.”

“You ain't gotta prove nothin' to anyone, Dean.”

“I've got to prove it to myself, Bobby,” Dean said. He didn't say that maybe then the nightmares would stop, that maybe then he could pay the bills without Charlie's creative accounting, that maybe then Sam could have his shot.

“Just let me know when you need the time to practice,” Bobby said, clapping Dean on the shoulder.

“Not gonna slack off at the shop.”

“If it's not the shop, it'll be at home, and if it's not at home it'll be your health. I'd rather tell customers that custom jobs will take a little longer than have you not being around to police Sammy. I remember you at that age. Ain't an age you want to leave him to raise himself.”

“Sammy isn't me, Bobby.”

“No, he'll be worse because you're the only example he's had. He may be smart, but no one's smart with that many hormones running them crazy.” Bobby scratched at his beard. Dean remembered the number of times Bobby hunted Dean down and dragged him away from ragers by his ear when he was Sam's age. John hadn't cared that Dean was trying to self destruct when no one was watching, because he'd already been raising Sammy for years at that point, while John drank away their money.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay, old man,” Dean relented.

“Don't give me none of that shit, ya idgit,” Bobby grumbled, and they fell into easy chatter about the shop.

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

Dean made it through the night without becoming too shaken to sleep. He even dropped Sam off at school with time to spare. He was just thinking it might actually turn out to be a good day when he walked into the shop at eleven, after taking a run and doing some training exercises on the beach.

He noticed the expensive car in the lot when he pulled in, but he just assumed that some of the pros who weren't on tour had heard that they'd been getting some decent swells lately and had flown in. It happened more and more as the year came to a close.

However, when Dean pushed through the front door, he immediately heard a man talking loudly and several women chattering near the counter. Dean ducked his head and prayed that Bobby didn't notice him as he retreated to his workshop. He did not want to deal with rich tourists after the awesome morning he had.

“There he is. Dean, this crew is here for surfing lessons,” Bobby called, even gruffer than usual, which probably meant he'd been dealing with these people for a while.

Dean couldn't help but flinch as he glanced at the group. It consisted of two men and two women. Both women wore skimpy bikinis and nothing else, which really wasn't all that uncommon around here, but one of the men was wearing a very loud Hawaiian shirt, complete with two leis and dark sunglasses with his nose painted white with sunscreen. He was shorter than both of the women, and the most ridiculous man Dean had seen in a while. He looked like something out of a horrible vacation movie. Then there was the other guy who stood over to the side, talking on his phone and looking skeptical. He was in a dark blue suit. Dean couldn't see his feet through the racks of clothing, but he assumed he was wearing dress shoes too. He looked like he belonged in an office or on a red carpet, not in Bobby's surf shop.

“The four of you?” Dean leaned back, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Yes sir. Cassy, stop pretending to talk on your phone. I had all your calls blocked until you are back on the mainland. You just look like a grump,” the colorful one called to the man in the suit. “Gabe Novak. This is Tiffany and Cindi, and that over there with the scowl and the Armani is my baby bro, Castiel,” Gabe introduced the party, waving at each of his companions in turn.

“Well, it's only me until my brother gets out of school, but I guess we can head down to the beach and figure something out,” Dean said with a scowl of his own. He had real work he needed to be doing not just pandering to the Novaks. “Do you have a suit under that?” he asked turning to the one Gabe called Castiel.

“Why would I have a bathing suit beneath a suit?” Castiel retorted as though Dean was thick.

“Well you might want to put one on since you are likely to get wet,” Dean shot back, already disliking the man's attitude.

“I am aware of what surfing entails,” Castiel said derisively. He turned on his heel and walked past Dean and toward the door. “I will be outside Gabriel, please don't take too long. We have lunch with mother at two,” Castiel said before exiting the shop.

“Oh he's a real charmer,” Dean groaned as he walked to the back of the shop where they kept the boards they used for lessons.

“Don't mind Cas, he's just bitter that he got pulled away from _important business_ to come to our family reunion. Seriously, the guy just needs to unclench once in a while,” Gabe said casually, wandering over to help Dean carry the boards.

“So you bought him surfing lessons?” Dean asked, handing one of the basic long boards over. Gabe took it easily, tucking it under his arm like he'd done this before.

“What better way to relax than surfing, am I right?” Gabe asked, eyebrows waggling. “I mean, he isn't interested in my lady friends over there, so I had to take drastic measures, if you know what I mean.”

Dean didn't have a clue what he meant, but he truly hoped he wasn't stepping into the middle of a family feud. He had his own family troubles to deal with, and he certainly didn't need the Novaks' problems heaped right on top of them.

“Your girlfriends ever been on a board before?” Dean asked instead.

“Fresh meat, Dean-o. Don't let 'em fool you though, Cindi was Miss Nebraska a few years back. She's as strong as an ox and as wild as a...well. Tiffany's no slouch either. They aren't going to be a problem if that's what you're asking, and if it is, I wouldn't imply it in front of them,” Gabe said turning serious.

“Wasn't implying anything, just trying to choose what boards to bring,” Dean sighed. It was going to be a long day.

Tiffany and Cindi were incredibly helpful, carrying both of their boards together as well as providing easy chatter as they all walked down to the water. They clearly didn't give a shit about whatever tension was going on between the Novak brothers, so Dean chose to take their approach and ignore it completely as well.

“Okay, why don't you all put your boards down, and we'll start with some basic land exercises that'll make things easier when you get in the water?” Dean started.

He put the board that Castiel would use down in front of himself until the man joined them. “Okay, I'll demonstrate on this one then you can try it on yours. It's going to go something like this.” He laid down on the board and began to pretend to paddle with his arms. “paddle, paddle, paddle, pop up.” He pushed himself up to a low crouch on the center of the board. “Dominant leg usually goes back, but some people are what we call goofy footed and prefer their non-dominant leg in the back. So, while we are still on land, I'd try it both ways and see what feels more natural,” Dean explained, switching his feet to demonstrate both footings. “Some people feel comfortable both ways. We call that switch-foot.”

“That's how Cassy does it, ain't that right Cas?” Gabe butted in, leering at his brother and waggling his eyebrows.

“You are completely tactless and unfunny,” Castiel told him, rolling his eyes.

Castiel had come down in the middle of his demonstration, watching Dean critically as he performed for them. Cas was wearing boring black board shorts, but now that he'd lost the suit, Dean had to admit Castiel was very good looking. It definitely made him look more approachable, so Dean waved him over to the board he was currently standing on.

“This one's yours, man. I can show you again if you didn't see the whole thing,” Dean said kindly.

“I understand the drill, thank you,” Castiel declined before kneeling down on the board. Dean almost laughed at the face Cas made when he felt the wax under his hands and knees.

“You get used to it,” Dean assured him, but Cas seemed more determined to show he was capable as soon as Dean called him out.

Gabriel was already popping up and down liked he'd been doing this for years, and Dean was seriously starting to suspect he had. The girls laughed as they practiced side by side, teasingly trying to push each other off balance when they stood. Dean smirked and left them to it— he and Sam used to do the same thing when they were learning.

Dean watched as Castiel laid himself out on the board, placing his hands around the rail and pushed himself to a kneel.

“You don't want to grab the rail. That part,” Dean said pointing to the edge of the surfboard right where Cas' fingers had been. “Once you're in the water, you're not really going to get a good grip if you grab there. You tend to do a push up from the center mass of the board. It's faster and you're less likely to throw your balance,” Dean explained, but he was met with Cas' scowl.

Castiel said nothing as he laid flat on his stomach again before placing his hands flat on the board and pushing up to a kneel again. “Better, now try to crouch instead of kneeling. Again, it's easier to maintain balance if you immediately get your feet under you, otherwise it's a fight to climb up into position without wiping out.” Dean demonstrated the quick down-up he was looking for and was met with another measured scowl.

“It's okay, Cassy, maybe you can glare the waves into submission,” Gabriel teased as he danced over to the girls' boards and started fooling around instead of practicing.

Dean sighed. This was going to be like herding cats. “Why don't we try this in the water. It might be easier to understand if you're experiencing it,” Dean suggested.

“Woohoo, it's showtime, ladies,” Gabriel shouted tearing open his shirt then tearing away his shorts to reveal a very small and colorful speedo. Dean could hear Castiel sigh beside him, but he was in too much shock to really react.

“Must you, Gabriel?” Castiel asked dryly.

“Damn right, baby bro! The world needs to experience my genius.”

“And evidently your nuts too,” Dean laughed. Castiel snorted then picked up his board.

Dean herded them over to the small breaks near the edge, so they could get the hang of it without being in much danger.

“Okay so lie down on your boards and start paddling,” Dean said once they waded in. Everyone seemed capable until the first breaker upended Tiffany, but she laughed and hopped back on. By the time they were where Dean wanted, everyone bar Gabe had been thrown at least once, and Gabe maintained his smug smile throughout.

“Turn your boards toward shore, and I'm going to tell you when to paddle,” Dean said as he stood in the water behind them. He suppressed a smile when Cas fell off the back of his board when he tried to sit up too far back on it.

Cas gave him a sharp look when he popped up again, looking like a drowned rat. Gabriel didn't suppress his own snort, but the girls were kind enough to encourage him. Castiel ignored them, but Dean thought it was nice. He really couldn't tell if this was some bizarre sort of double date or if both girls were actually with Gabriel. That was solved after they each caught their first wave.

Tiffany was the first, and she managed to get to a kneel and ride the white water into shore. Gabe was hooting and hollering the entire time, as was Cindi. When she paddled back out, she was met with a very enthusiastic kiss from Gabriel.

Cindi actually stood for a moment on her first ride before falling off, and Gabe was no less enthusiastic with his kisses upon her return. Both girls seemed equally supportive of each other, so Dean shrugged it off and focused on finding Cas a wave to catch. He assumed that Gabe could pick his own waves, or would be too occupied with his dates to care if Dean focused on his brother.

“Why don't you lie down on the board, since I'll be scouting your ride,” Dean suggested as Castiel continued to struggle with balance. Dean remembered the first time he got on a board after the accident. Nothing had seemed as stable as it had his entire life. He'd constantly been shifting as though the board was going to fly out from under him, so he tried to have sympathy for Cas even though he doubted the man wanted his sympathy.

“How will I know what to look for if I don't watch?”Cas asked, and Dean was starting to think that the man didn't understand how to let other people have control.

“Let's take it a step at a time, man. I want you to be able to ride a wave before you start examining them for height and curl,” Dean said pointing at the shore. Cas didn't protest as he laid down and faced the beach.

“Is it really that complicated to pick a wave?” he asked, wobbling only slightly.

“You ride the monsters we get around here and yeah, you want to know what you're dropping yourself into. I mean, it's not an exact science. Once you're in there, it can throw you for a loop, but you can read a lot from a wave as you watch it form,” Dean explained. He'd been watching waves since he was in diapers—he was fluent in its language, and knew that he wasn't immune to its wrath.

“It seems like a waste of time,” Cas admitted.

Dean snorted. Castiel Novak was definitely not the first man to tell Dean that his career was pointless. He wasn't even the first to sound so derisive as he said it. “You ride your first wave then tell me that again,” Dean retorted. He wanted to take Cas out to the break and drop him in on a perfect barrel, but he couldn't. You had to learn to crawl before you could run, and if he did it was likely that Cas would never understand how freeing surfing was. Not that that was really Dean's problem; he'd still get paid whether Cas enjoyed himself or not.

“Start paddling when I tell you,” Dean said as he saw a decent wave coming toward them. “Remember, push up from the center and go straight to you feet. Now paddle!” Dean instructed.

Cas started paddling even as Dean gave his board a push. The wave took him, and it took a moment before Dean saw him pull his arms in and push himself up. He was tumbling into the water before he had his feet under him. Dean told himself he wasn't pleased that Cas bit it on his first try. That would be childish, but in truth, Dean was a bit childish.

Gabriel was laughing when Cas paddled back. “Well done Cas!” he shouted as Castiel paddled over to Dean.

“Spot a lobster over there, Cas?” Dean asked, and Gabriel cackled some more. Castiel narrowed his eyes at the pair of them.

“Find me another,” Cas ordered as he sat up on the board. Dean could see the embarrassed determination in the set of his jaw.

“Most people fall their first time. I know people make it look easy on TV, but it's an extreme sport for a reason,” Dean assured him.

“Just find me another,” Cas repeated. Dean wanted to groan. Clearly the man didn't take defeat very well.

“Whatever you say, man.”

Dean told Cas when to start paddling again. Castiel set his jaw and did as instructed. This time he pushed up to his knees and rode in that way. He wobbled a little, but he didn't fall. He had a smug look on his face when he paddled back out.

Dean chose not to comment about him not listening because he would not get into an argument with a customer over something so childish. At least not today.

“Okay, get back into position and let's try this again,” Dean said with a sigh.

“Why don't you take a wave? You're supposed to be the expert. Maybe if you showed us this mysterious skill you have, we'd better understand,” Cas suggested, and the girls immediately agreed, though their motives were definitely more benign.

“Whatever, man, give me the board,” Dean said. Castiel got off the board, Dean quickly transferred the leash to his ankle before paddling a little further out to catch a coming wave before it broke.

Dean waited only as long as it took the wave to catch his board before he popped up onto a low crouch. He transferred his weight just slightly to angle to the right across the face of the wave. It was by no means a large wave, but Dean gave a few pumps up and down the wave before crouching low to skim his fingers through the water as he rode over the backside.

The girls were very excited when he came back, sharing compliments readily. Gabriel wore a smirk that said he'd gotten just as much satisfaction from Dean shutting Castiel down as Dean had.

“Did you catch that or do I need to do it again?” Dean asked as he tore off the leash and handed it over. Cas was wearing the determined frown again. Dean wasn't really sure if the man had expected him to fall off, but he was a little insulted that Cas seemed surprised that he was actually a proficient surfer.

Dean picked out wave after wave for Cas, while Gabriel helped the girls. Once they were comfortable enough to stand, Gabriel took the wave beside them and angled his board so he could hop onto theirs with them. Tiffany laughed so hard the first time he did it that she almost fell off, but Gabe caught her and pulled her tight to his body as he kept the board balanced.

Castiel slowly got the hang of it, but after each wave he would paddle out to Dean and demand another. Dean made sure to hold his tongue even though he wanted to tell Cas that maybe he'd have more success if he unclenched a bit. The man was stiffer than a corpse, but Dean had to appreciate his determination.

Dean didn't realize how much time had passed until he saw Sam paddling out to meet them. “Hey Sammy. This is Gabriel, Tiffany, Cindi, and Castiel,” Dean said as he brother stopped in the middle of their little group.

“Aren't you the cutest thing,” Gabriel said with a wide smile. Sam flipped him off.

“I'll surf circles around you, asshole,” Sam retorted, which made Gabriel burst out laughing.

“Oh man, I like this one,” Gabe said, wiping a tear from his eye. “Why don't you come teach my two lovely ladies, while Dean-o struggles with my brother some more?”

Sam looked over at Dean, questions written all over his face. Dean just nodded at him.

“We need to go,” Cas said instead when Dean turned back. “We have lunch with mother.”

“We're already an hour late. Relax, live a little, Cas. Learn the pleasure of pissing off Mom,” Gabe said dismissively.

Cas looked like he was going to say something to Gabriel, but instead he turned to Dean and demanded another wave. Dean didn't ask. He just picked another for Cas to ride. “Hey, try to clear your head when you take this one. It's not a checklist of steps. Just feel it and go with it,” Dean suggested before giving him the cue to start paddling.

Cas didn't say anything, but he looked like he untensed his shoulders just a little as he popped up and kept his balance.

“Awesome,” Dean said when Cas came back. Cas didn't look as pleased with his performance.

“I want to ride a bigger wave,” Cas said as he looked out where the regulars were catching waves. Clearly, Cas needed to show his merit, and while Dean wanted to drop him into it and watch him struggle, he shook his head.

“You want to ride the big ones, you need to prove yourself on the little guys first. You want another couple of lessons, fine I'll get you out there, but not today,” Dean said firmly. Castiel did not look pleased. He probably wasn't used to being told no. That wasn't Dean's problem, getting his clients killed because he let their stubborn pride cloud their judgment was.

“Fine, I would like to purchase another lesson,” Cas said.

“That's fine, your bother already paid for a week. I'll tell you when I'm available when we get back to the shop,” Dean said.

“No, I would like one the same time tomorrow,” Cas insisted.

“I don't just give lessons, man. I make boards and run the shop. I'm also training for Pipe, so I'll have to check my schedule,” Dean replied.

“I'll pay you double what you're making at the shop. Tomorrow at eleven,” Cas said, and it left no room for argument. Dean wanted to hit him with the board he sat on, but he gritted his teeth. He needed the money.

“Fine, but if you're a minute late, I'm canceling and you aren't getting a refund,” Dean said before heading in. Gabriel was still out there with the girls and Sam. They all seemed to be having a good time, so he'd let them keep going. Sam knew what he was going. Castiel caught one last wave in, and sped past Dean as he popped up. Dean ignored him. He hated being treated like nothing more than a servant. He certainly wasn't going to take it from some ass who thought he owned the world. Even if his family did basically own the island.

“I'll see you tomorrow. Bobby will take your credit card information or cash.” Dean took the board out of Castiel's hands and walked away from him back to the shop. He had a lot of work to get done if he was expected to take a chunk out of his day for another infuriating lesson tomorrow.

Benny was waiting for him on the porch when he got home that night. Pam was sitting with him eating whatever fish he'd caught that day. Dean could hear Charlie inside cursing into her headset as she played some game. Her computer was one of the only non-necessities that they owned, and she cherished the thing. They'd scrounged the money together for it when they realized that Sam really needed a computer for schoolwork too.

“How was your day, Dean?” Pam asked, swatting Benny's big hand away from where he was trying to snitch her last bite.

“I met Gabriel and Castiel Novak. I wish I hadn't,” Dean said as he collapsed into the empty chair. “Where's Sam?”

“He went down to Ruby's after dinner. Some study party or something,” Benny said. “We need to focus on your training tonight. I was thinking a late run—”

“You let him go to Ruby's?” Dean asked incredulously.

“She's like his best friend.”

“She's also trouble!”

“So were you,” Pam pointed out, and Dean gave her an unimpressed look. “Let him have some fun, tiger mommy. It's not like his grades are slacking off,” she reasoned.

Dean wanted to yell, but he held himself together. Sam was responsible. Dean had other things that needed his attention right now.

“Fine, I'll go change and meet you at the beach in thirty,” Dean said as he pushed away from the table. He hadn't eaten since Bobby pushed a sandwich in his face around four, but he could have some cereal or something when he got back.

He found a pair of board shorts and pulled on his old, worn sneakers before grabbing a drink of water. Benny was still sitting with Pam laughing about something when Dean walked out the door. “See ya, brother,” Benny waved as Dean walked around the front of the house and started the jog down to the beach. Benny would take Baby down to meet him there with weights they'd use later.

Dean pushed himself throughout the run even though he was already exhausted. The ocean wasn't going to be any less wild just because Dean was run too thin to push himself in training, so he pushed himself through it anyway. His legs burned after the first mile, but he ignored it. His lungs hurt as he ran up one of the hills toward the beach. It would be worse on the way home later, but he couldn't afford to slack off now.

Benny drove past him as he was halfway down the final hill. Dean didn't even bother to wave, he was too focused on getting his body to cooperate. When he finally made it to the beach, Benny was waiting for him with water. Dean drank half before handing it back. He wandered down to the water and dove right in, to cool himself down instead of wasting water by pouring it over his head.

They ran several drills to increase his endurance since it was too late to get a decent session in the water in. Benny pushed him harder each rotation and didn't accept Dean's meager protests that he didn't have it in him tonight.

“You need to have it in you in two weeks. Find it now, so you know it'll be there then,” Benny said as Dean dropped the weight before finishing his set. Dean grunted and picked the weight up again, doing the last three repetitions before dropping it heavily near his feet. “Good,” Benny said before moving onto the next task for Dean to complete.

They worked until it was almost eleven. “Go take a breather. I'll meet you up at the house when you get back,” Benny said as he started to haul the weights back to the car. Dean offered to help, but Benny waved him off. “Got this, go cool off before your run.”

Dean nodded and took off down to the water where he floated around until he felt like he could stand without falling over again. The run up the hills to the house was going to be brutal, but he tugged his sneakers back on and started off at a steady pace.

He used this time to think. He was already planning how to use the money he'd be making on Cas' private lesson. First, he needed to pay the damn phone bill. Then he could work on next month's mortgage payment. Sam needed new pants though. He was going to be wearing capris pretty soon if he kept growing.

Dean used his money troubles to distract himself from the physical pain he was in. It was also a very strong reminder that he needed to do well at this competition if he had any hope of getting sponsored. Dean gritted his teeth and pushed his body harder. Benny was right, he needed to find this in himself now.

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

Dean got to work as soon as he dropped Sam off the next day. He needed to shape a board before Castiel showed up, and he couldn't afford to rush himself and risk ruining it. He pulled the blank off the rack and set it out on his work bench, belly up. He looked at the design he had planned for the custom board then stood behind the blank, pencil tucked behind his ear as he did visual measurements. He ran his hand along the blank just to get a feel for it before he started.

Pulling out his measuring tape, he started to mark off where he'd need to cut the nose and the tail to keep the board balanced. Then he visualized how he was going to shape the tail of the board—the woman wanted a fish, so he looked at where he was going to have to bring the board in and sand it down.

Dean was in his zone as he pulled on his mask and goggles and started the saw. First, the nose came off, so he could start measuring out the board and marking off the center, the nose, and the tail, followed by the width. If only his teachers could see him now, paying attention to every detail, measuring then re-measuring to make sure each mark was precise.

Dean lost all track of time as he slowly shaped the board down, stopping only long enough to check his work and come back to the board and just look at it. Sometimes he changed tactics halfway through if it was telling him something different, but today the board was cooperating. He still had a lot of work to do, but it was already emerging beautifully.

Dean was shaping the tail when Castiel arrived. He didn't realize it was already eleven, or that Castiel was watching him until he turned off the saw, making sure it was symmetrical. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Castiel cleared his throat from behind him.

“Hello Dean.”

“Shit Cas, a little warning next time!”

“I thought that the throat clearing was the warning,” Cas said cocking his head to the side. He wasn't wearing a suit today. He was in another boring pair of board shorts and flip flops. At least the guy didn't wear socks and sandals. Dean couldn't handle that.

“Sorry, I lost track of time,” Dean said, motioning to the mostly finished board—at least as far as shape was concerned.

“I see that. What is the penalty if you are a minute late?” Cas asked, and Dean could have sworn he was being teased, but Castiel had an excellent poker face.

“Sorry man, I'll be done in a minute, just let me clean this up and then we can go,” Dean apologized again as he tugged off his mask.

“Take your time. I know how it is to be interrupted in the middle of a task,” Cas said before turning on his heels and walking out into the store proper.

Dean still hurried to clean up and wipe off the worst of the board dust. When he came out of his workshop, he found Castiel at the counter going through Dean's portfolio of custom boards.

“These are quite beautiful,” he said when Dean walked up behind him. Clearly, he was too important to be surprised by people sneaking up on him. “You are a talented artist.”

“Thanks, but boards are more than pretty art,” Dean said, thrown by Castiel's compliments. This was not the same man he'd met yesterday.

“No art is as simple as its beauty. Some of the histories more revered artists were also its greatest engineers,” Castiel said, closing the book.

Dean didn't really know what to say, so he changed the subject. “I'll let you pick which board you want to use if you come back here,” he said pointing to where their rentals were racked.

“None of your designs are available?” Cas asked casually.

Dean snorted. “I'm not letting a bunch of tourists touch my babies never mind destroy them. We have hotshots come back with broken boards all the time because they think their Kelly Slater when they barely know the basics. No offense,” Dean said as he waved at the boards for Cas to choose from.

“None taken. What do you suggest?” he asked looking at the different sizes and shapes.

“You're sturdy but you're still new. I'd go big and stable,” Dean pointed at the longer boards. “I mean they aren't glamorous, but they're good boards to learn on.”

Cas just nodded, choosing one of their plainest boards, not the largest but still big. Dean nodded and turned toward the front of the store. He popped behind the counter to grab his own board before he followed Castiel out of the shop.

“You do not ride your own design?” Cas asked as they walked down the beach toward the water. The board Dean had was old. It was one of the last one's he bought before he started designing boards with Bobby. It was a good board, and it had served him well. It also wasn't broken in half from the accident.

“I don't have any of my own designs. Can't justify wasting the money and hours on myself when I could be making money shaping one for someone else,” Dean said. He couldn't admit that he'd spent so long creating his custom board and pouring himself into it that it felt like a part of him was taken when he heard it'd broken in the wipeout.

It was still in his workshop in two pieces, and it killed a little piece of him every time he went and looked at it. He needed to make himself a new board, but he didn't know if he could. Maybe after Pipe. Maybe if he proved himself there, he could go back and start over.

“That does not seem fair,” Cas noted as they started to paddle out.

“Yeah, story of my life, man. You get over it. So, what are you looking for today. You can stand, what do you want to do now?” Dean changed the subject as they paddled.

Castiel didn't say anything for a minute, then another minute when a wave took him by surprised. Dean didn't hide his laugh today, but Cas also didn't take offense. “I would like to improve. You said a step at a time yesterday, what would be the next step?” Castiel asked levelly.

“Well getting comfortable on the board would be next, I guess. Like I said, you tend to be stiff, so we need to get you to loosen up,” Dean said thoughtfully.

“How do you propose we do that?”

“You comfortable with me?” Dean asked. Castiel cocked he head as Dean waved for him to move up on his board. “I'll ride behind you, keep the board steady. Your job it to get used to moving on the board, get familiar with it,” Dean said as he knelt. He made sure that his own board wasn't going to get tangled with them and told Cas to start paddling.

They both paddled until they caught the coming wave. “Okay, now push up,” Dean instructed as he kept his balance. Cas tottered to a standing position. “Good now loosen up, I'm not going to let us fall.” The ride was almost over by the time that Cas looked comfortable enough to move, but it was progress.

They surfed for several hours, sometimes together on Cas' board, sometimes on their own. Cas seemed much less touchy today than he had with his brother present. “Are you and Gabe not close?” Dean asked as they were taking a short break, so Cas could catch his breath.

“Of all of my siblings, I am closest to Gabriel. However, I would not say I am particularly close to any of them,” Castiel said, sipping the water Dean had gotten out of the office refrigerator. “He is my older brother, and as such he knows exactly how to get under my skin, and takes pleasure in doing so,” Castiel explained.

“I know how that goes. I can piss Sammy off in under ten seconds. It's a talent,” Dean laughed as he picked at the bottle's wrapper. Cas grunted; he did not appreciate the brilliance of older siblings.

“So, are you learning to surf to prove him wrong?” Dean asked. It was a dumb reason, but at least Dean would know what he was working with if it was Cas' reason.

“I think I'm trying to prove something to myself,” Castiel said, but he didn't say what, and Dean didn't push. He could work with that.

“Maybe we should call it quits for today. We were out several hours, and unless you want to resemble a boiled lobster, you might want to stay out of the sun for the rest of the afternoon,” Dean said poking Cas' red shoulder. The man had a surprisingly good tan for a suit, but not much could hold up against the heat of the day.

“I would like to come back again tomorrow,” Castiel said as he capped his water bottle.

“Tomorrow's my day off. I've got training all day,” Dean said, finishing off his own drink.

“Then perhaps an evening lesson when you are finished?”

Dean wanted to say no. He was going to be completely beat after Benny was done with him, and he'd have to work in the morning, but every lesson put him that much closer to paying the mortgage. “Fine, but I'm going to be exhausted, so I'm not putting up with any diva attitudes. Either come to learn or don't come at all,” Dean said firmly.

“I intend to come to learn. I will see you tomorrow, Dean,” Castiel said before leaving the shop. Dean pressed his forehead to the cool wood of the doorway. What on Earth was he getting himself into?

He went back into the workshop to get some more work done before he headed home. Benny was probably going to make him run down to the beach again tonight. At least, the exhaustion from working out kept the nightmares at bay. He didn't sleep peacefully, but he'd been making it through the night.

“Rise and shine, Deanie,” Charlie's too cheerful voice sang from the doorway. Dean rolled over and glared at her. “Time for Luke to become a Jedi,” she said holding up her _Star Wars_ mug.

“I'm already a Jedi, Charlie. Let me sleep another hour,” Dean groaned.

“Nope, sorry Dean. Garth called. Waves are looking good. We're going to take an early session on the waves then do some endurance work afterward,” Benny said, walking through Dean's room to get to the backyard.

Dean grumbled, but he pulled himself out of the covers anyway. “Whoa, warn a girl, Winchester,” Charlie said after getting an eyeful of naked Dean.

“You've lived with me for almost a year, you know I sleep naked,” he said unsympathetically since she woke him up. She still offered him the mug of coffee as he passed her to go make sure that Sam was getting ready for school.

Sam complained that he wasn't allowed to go with them, but thankfully Pam arrived with pancakes in the middle of his rant. “Come on, big boy. I even made your favorite,” she said, giving his ass a slap to get him moving.

“Thanks for taking him to school, Pam,” Dean said, finishing off his coffee. He snatched one of the pancakes before she could slap his hand away.

“No problem, pretty boy,” she replied, making herself comfortable. “Charlie, when are we doing ladies night away from these bums?” Pam asked as Charlie sat on the kitchen island beside her.

“Didn't you meet tattoo Jessie that last time you two went out?” Dean asked as he pointed to Pam's tattoo.

“Low blow, Dean,” Charlie said throwing the peel of the banana she was eating at him.

Dean laughed as he went to find Benny.

Dean, Benny, and Charlie piled into the Impala and rode down to the beach. It was clear that they weren't the only ones who got the Garth Report that morning, and the beach was crowded with locals vying for a few waves before work. Dean untied his board from Baby and headed for the edges of the pack, followed closely by Benny and Charlie.

They surfed most of the morning. Dean did cutbacks and aerials working on all of his best moves and trying to keep the fear at a distance. He wiped out a few times, but he kept his head and paddled right back out.

By the time they finished, Dean was feeling pretty good about himself. Maybe it wasn't a perfect session, but he felt more in control than he had in a long time. They drove out to one of the more secluded beaches afterward to work on endurance both above and under the water. Dean paddled up and down the shoreline, towing both Benny and Charlie on their boards behind him. When his arms felt like they were on fire, they made him work on his lung capacity and breathing by making him carry a boulder underwater.

They kept it up most of the afternoon, working him to his breaking point but never pushing him over.

“You're doing good. I know this is hard for you, but you're showing progress. You're going to be ready, and you're going to show them what you're made of,” Benny said as he drove Baby home. Dean was laid out in the back seat with his head in Charlie's lap, while she massaged his aching arms.

“You so are, Dean,” she encouraged, placing a cool water bottle against his forehead.

Dean couldn't take as long in the shower as he would have liked because they couldn't afford the water bill as it was, and he needed to meet up with Cas. Charlie had to help him into his t-shirt since his arms ached too much to get them over his head.

“Tonight, another beach run, and maybe some leg work,” Benny said as he watched Dean struggle to tie his sneakers.

“Okay, I should be back in an hour or two, just gonna give this guy a lesson and come home,” Dean said as he tucked his wallet into his shorts.

“What's up with this guy that you keep giving him lessons?”

“He wants to learn, and we need the money. It's no big deal,” Dean assured them as he pushed past.

“Get back by nine. I want you in bed early tonight,” Benny shouted to his back.

“Yes, mother!” Dean called over his shoulder.

 

Dean pulled into the surf shop's lot. He could see Bobby grilling out back as he slowly pulled his aching body out of the car. “Left her unlocked for you,” Bobby called when he heard Dean shut the car door.

“Thanks Bobby,” Dean shouted back as he staggered into the shop to grab Cas' board. His was still strapped to Baby's roof. By the time he came outside again, Castiel was leaning against his Mercedes in a more lively pair of board shorts. These had barely clothed hula dancers on them. “I'd ask if you were borrowing Gabriel's clothes, but there's too much fabric, and he'd actually bring the girls instead of having them painted on his shorts,” Dean joked as he handed over the board.

“Gabriel bought them for me because 'mine were too bland' as he put it,” Castiel said, his voice dripping with disdain. Dean laughed as he tried to reach up to unstrap his board only to encounter the same problem he had with his shirt. He sighed and stepped back.

“First part of the lesson is learning how to untie you board from the roof of the car,” Dean said as authoritatively as he could manage.

Cas looked at him like he was out of his mind. “Shouldn't I learn how to strap it on first?”

“Nah, we'll tackle that at the end. It makes more sense this way,” Dean said, crossing his arms and trying not to cringe.

“Okay.” Cas did as Dean instructed then handed over the board. “How was training?” he asked with a raised brow.

“Piece of cake. Let's head out.”

Cas snorted but he made no further comments. Dean dug deep as he paddled out beside Cas. He felt as weak as a newborn kitten, but he needed this money.

Cas seemed even more relaxed than the day before, and he even gave Dean a small, lopsided smile when Dean praised him for a good ride. They surfed, or Cas surfed and Dean supervised, until the sun started to set. “You ever experience a sunset out on the water?” Dean asked.

“No, I have not spent much time here, even though most of my family is here,” Cas said.

“Well, we're not paddling in until you do,” Dean said, pointing to where the sun hung low over the water, the clouds around it tinged pink and orange.

“I never really have time to stop and watch the sunset. I'm often in the office late,” Castiel admitted as they sat beyond the break just feeling the water shift beneath them.

“That's what this is about, Cas. Surfing is remembering to look outside of your cubicle once in a while—”

“I have a corner office.”

“That's even worse. You probably have a west facing window too, and you shut the blinds in the afternoon so the sun doesn't get in your eyes,” Dean speculated, and he knew he was right from the way Cas looked away. “Surfing isn't a waste of time. People waste perfectly good time everyday when they look down at their shoes while walking into work, while staying inside on their lunch break because it's too much of a hassle to go downstairs, while spending hours doing homework on things they've learned every year since kindergarten. Surfing is looking up, seeing the world in front of your eyes, the world everyone seems so willing to cut themselves off from. You can't surf staring at your toes. You can't ride waves without being a part of them,” Dean said as they watched the sun meet the horizon.

“You are very passionate about it,” Cas said after a moment. “I suppose it is easy to close yourself off. I probably do it more than most,” he admitted, splashing at the water around him.

“You've got to open your blinds once in a while, man.”

“I do. I guess that is why Gabriel insisted I come a week early for the reunion. Wanted to get me out of my office.”  
“Reunion?”

“Family reunion. My mother wants all of her children here to celebrate her birthday,” Cas explained as the sun slowly disappeared, but it left the sky ablaze with color.

“Novak family reunion, sounds like Hell,” Dean said as he started to turn his board to paddle in.

“No wait, let's let the color fade a little more,” Cas said, reaching out and grasping Dean's bicep. He had a firm grip though there was nothing demanding about it.

“Yeah sure,” Dean smiled.

Castiel took Dean's board over to the car without even waiting to be asked. Dean laughed as he walked Cas through securing it, so it wouldn't fly off in the middle of his drive home. “You're a natural,” Dean said once his board was set.

“Can I buy you dinner? I realize I've been very demanding of your time since I got here, and I'd like to buy you dinner,” Cas asked as Dean was about to get into Baby.

“Dinner?”

“Yes, you must be hungry after training then putting up with me for hours,” Cas said, looking uncertain.

“Nowhere fancy right, because I had to have Charlie help me into my shirt before I came here, and I'm not going back to be humiliated again,” Dean said skeptically.

“We could just get pizza or something,” Cas offered, and Dean gave in. He was hungry, and anything Cas was offering had to be better than what was waiting at home.

“Fine, but I pick the place, and I drive,” Dean agreed and pointed toward the shop. “We can clean up here, so we aren't a wet mess.” He showed Cas to the showers out back and they rinsed off side by side. Cas borrowed a pair of shorts Dean had in his trunk since he'd only come with his bathing suit. “Look at you in casual wear,” Dean teased as Cas slid into the seat beside Dean.

“You've seen me in a bathing suit every day,” Cas said, exasperated.

“Just another type of suit, Cas,” Dean laughed as he pulled out of the lot.

They rode down to a small restaurant in town, and Dean pulled into a spot.

The hostess didn't bat an eye at their appearance. It wasn't the fancy sort of place that turned its nose up at locals like Dean showing up after a good set. There were plenty of those quiet, romantic tourist traps to go around, but this place was the real deal.

Cas didn't raise his eyebrows at the peeling vinyl seats or the noisy atmosphere, so he got points for that. Dean had once brought a girl here on a date back in high school. It wasn't like he could afford anything better and still feed Sammy, but she'd looked so put off by the place, that he'd driven her straight home afterward. It wasn't going to work out. Dean couldn't help what he was, and he wasn't going to be ashamed of it. He just wasn't the right guy for everyone, and there really wasn't anything wrong with that. Dean was just pleased that maybe, Cas wasn't the stuck up billionaire that his family certainly wanted everyone to think of them as.

Dean ordered a burger, and he was completely surprised when Cas ordered an even bigger one with an extra side of fries.

“Eating for two there, Cas?” he asked when the waitress walked away to put their orders in.

“I just really like a good burger,” Cas shrugged, and it was endearing the way Dean's shirt was a little too big on him.

“Yeah, I kinda got that,” Dean laughed, and Cas joined in.

It was surprisingly easy to sit there with Cas sipping the beer he'd ordered with dinner. Cas didn't get points for ordering red wine in this dive, but it was kind of worth it to watch him drink it out of a pint glass since they didn't actually have wine glasses. Cas just laughed as their waitress put the half filled pint in front of him with an apologetic shrug.

“I think you're the first person to order wine since I started working here,” she said, and Dean laughed at him as he graciously took a sip of the cheap wine as though it was a real treat. The girl blushed at how he went out of his way to show it was okay.

“I'll go check on your burgers,” she told them before heading toward the back.

“Dude, I could've told you that was a bad idea,” Dean said once she was gone.

“It's just habit. Clearly, I wasn't thinking,” Cas laughed as he looked at the pint glass of wine still cradled in his hand. “At least it isn't a red plastic cup,” he shrugged.

“That was probably another option. Bet you never ate here while you lived on the island.”

“No, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't have liked to. I know it sounds incredibly spoiled, but fancy dinners and big engagements are tedious, especially to children,” Cas said, taking another sip of wine.

“You're right that does sound spoiled as hell. I would've killed for a pizza once in a while, but we really didn't have the money for that unless Pam wanted to spoil us when she babysat. She did a few times too. God, I can still remember the first time she bought us peperoni pizza. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven,” Dean mused.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound...”

“Nah, it's fine. Just didn't have a lot growing up. You did. Neither of us has anything to be ashamed of. You don't choose your parents, right?” Dean assured him, but he could see that Cas still felt bad.

“Still, I should not have rubbed it in,” he insisted, but Dean waved it off as their waitress brought their food. “Has surfing always been part of your life?” Cas changed the subject once she left.

“Yeah, it's been the thing that helped me through all the shit life piled on top of me,” Dean said before taking a big bite of his burger. They talked about surfing after that. The competitions Dean had won and a bit about people he'd taught in the past.

“If I asked would you make me a board?” Cas asked as they were finishing dinner.

“I don't make trophies. If I make a board, I need to know it'll get ridden. They aren't supposed to sit in someone's office over on the mainland, so that guy can tell all his bigwig friends about that week he spent in Hawaii,” Dean said as he wiped his mouth.

“If I promised to ride it every chance I got?”

“I'd suggest investing in more surfing lessons instead of a fancy board. Nice board don't mean shit if you can't catch a damn wave,” Dean explained.

“I'm sure I should feel insulted by that remark,” Cas countered, taking the bill from their waitress.

“Take it however you like. I'm just being practical,” Dean shrugged, standing up as Cas left cash on the table. “Shit, I should really grab Sam a burger. Give me a second,” he said as he followed their waitress. Cas followed him though, and held out a twenty to the waitress as she put in the new order. “Man, I got this. He's my brother...”

“I promised to pay for dinner. I've got it,” Cas insisted.

“Thanks you didn't have to. I can pay my own way,” Dean said as they walked out to his car, carrying a burger and fries for Sam.

“I don't doubt that you can, but sometimes it's important to accept kindness from others,” Cas said as he slid into the passenger seat.

Dean played his classic rock cassettes on the drive back to Bobby's, and Cas seemed content to just listen to the music until they pulled in.

“Thanks again for dinner,” Dean said as they sat in the parking lot looking out at the ocean.

“Thank you for joining me. I didn't actually think you'd accept at first. It was a very pleasant surprise. Just as my enjoyment of surfing has been,” Cas said, looking at Dean instead of the ocean. “Thank you for having patience with me. I know it must be trying to deal with people like me all day.”

“You're not all that bad. You have the drive to learn, I'll give you that.”

“I have a good teacher,” Cas said leaning into Dean's space. Dean wasn't expecting a kiss. He actually wasn't expecting a conversation before Cas got out either, but definitely not a kiss.

Cas pulled back almost immediately, looking embarrassed. “I'm sorry. That was probably inappropriate,” he said as he suddenly showed great interest in the beach.

“You can't buy me,” Dean found himself saying, suddenly angry about the whole night.

“That wasn't what I was trying to do. This had nothing to do with lessons or dinner. It's just...it's hard to connect with people when you work all the time, and it's even harder when you're worth enough that when people do show interest you have to ask yourself, are they after my money. I never thought I'd grow to be cynical about my wealth, but I've been taken advantage of for my naivety. Being out there with you, talking to you about your passions. I haven't felt that connected to someone in a long time. So, no I don't think I can buy you. It's just been really great to meet someone with so much passion burning inside them,” Cas said, still leaning slightly toward Dean.

“I don't put out on first dates...well okay, I definitely do, but don't think you're getting laid just because you pulled that pretty speech out of your ass,” Dean said.

“I'd call a returned kiss a victory at this point.”

Dean snorted, but he leaned over and caught Cas' lips in a slow kiss.

“You coming by for lessons tomorrow?” Dean asked as he pulled back just enough to rest their foreheads against each other.

“If you're still willing to teach me, I'll be there,” Cas said, stroking Dean's jaw with his thumb.

“Cool. I've got a place I want to show you,” Dean told him, leaning in for another kiss, this one more urgent.

When they pulled apart, Cas reluctantly got out of the car and returned to his own. He waved goodbye as Dean pulled out of the lot. Dean banged his head against the steering wheel at the first light he came to. He couldn't believe he'd just done that. It was a terrible idea, but he couldn't help but want to see where it took him. Cas was definitely different, Dean just hoped that wasn't a bad thing.

“Sammy, brought you a burger,” Dean called as he walked into the house.

“Sam isn't home,” Charlie said from her spot in front of the television. The original _Star Trek_ was playing again.

“Where is he?” Dean asked in confusion. Sam wasn't supposed to go out on school nights.

“Study date with Ruby, I think. I don't know. He asked Benny if he could go,” Charlie said, waving for Dean to bring over the burger that Sam wasn't going to eat. Dean tossed the bag to her before going to find Benny.

He walked next door to find Benny once again eating dinner with Pam. “You let Sam go to Ruby's again?” he asked without greeting.

“He said he needed to study history with her,” Benny said as he put down his fork. “Where have you been? We were supposed to train this afternoon.”

“That's not important right now. What's important is why you let my brother go to a house party to 'study history' with Ruby?” Dean asked. He was tired. It wasn't Benny fault. He should've been home to tell Sam no himself, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to take it out on Benny.

“He's fifteen, Dean. That's exactly what we were doing at that age,” Benny told him. That was very true, but Sam was different. Sam was going to make something of himself, and Dean couldn't let his baby brother turn out like him.

“Just get in the damn car, Benny, and help me go put the fear of God in him,” Dean groaned. “Hey Pam. Good seein' you,” Dean waved as he walked back out toward Baby.

Benny came out a minute later looking well kissed, and Dean just shook his head. At least one of them was getting laid regularly by a stable if eccentric person. Though Dean had to admit, Pam was making good money as a psychic down on the beach. Seemed no matter where people went on vacation, they were always willing to throw away some money on a palm reading.

They peeled out onto the road, and Dean drove straight toward Ruby's place. The car really wasn't needed because she was just down the road, but Dean didn't want this to take any longer than necessary. He was pissed that Sam was there in the first place. He was not going to have to literally drag him all the way home.

Dean double parked in front of Ruby's house, and he and Benny hopped out looking as big and angry as possible. Lilith was sitting outside with Alastair and a few others as they walked in.

“Come to join the party, Dean? Long time no see,” the blond said with a cruel smile as she shotgunned a joint with Alastair.

“Where's Sammy?” Dean asked, pushing someone out of the way, so he could step up onto the porch.

“Probably in Ruby's room. Where else?” she replied.

Dean pushed his way through the throngs of people to get into the house. Benny stood behind him giving anyone who questioned Dean a dark look.

“Sammy, get your ass out here,” Dean yelled as they walked back toward Ruby's room. Dean had been here enough growing up to know exactly where her room was. People were crowded all over. Some were playing beer pong, while others were smoking on any surface they could lie on.

“Sam get your ass out here now, or I'll drag you out,” Dean called as he stood outside Ruby's door.

“Those are fightin' words, brother. You sure you want to start that here?” Benny asked him as they stood there waiting.

“He knows the rules,” Dean growled, banging on the door. “Open up, or I'll kick it in,” Dean ordered, but no one opened the door. Dean looked down at his flip flops and cursed that he hadn't worn his boots out with Cas.

Benny laughed at him as he stepped forward and kicked the door once, right next to the lock then again. The door gave way, and Dean walked through the splintered frame. Sam was lying with his head in Ruby's lap, high as a kite, and Dean saw red.

“Get up, Sammy. We're going home.”

“Fuck off, Dean,” Sam said, but his words were stretched and slurred.

“Really Sam? You're fucking high, and you have school in the morning. What do you think is going to happen when the school decides to drug test you, because your eyes are as red as a fire hydrant? Kiss us goodbye because Child Services won't even need a home visit for that one!” Dean shouted. Benny was holding him back, and Dean didn't even know when he'd become this angry and rigid with his rules.

“Dammit Dean, you used to do this all the time!”

“Doesn't mean I should've, Sam. Let's go,” Dean said more quietly as he pulled Sam off the bed. Sam struck out, but Dean caught the punch before he could land it.

“Traitor,” Sam hissed as Dean dragged him past Benny.

“I'll take that name if it keeps you safe, kid,” Benny shrugged as he followed them out.

Sam fell asleep in the back seat of the car on the short drive home, and Benny ended up being the one who carried him inside, because Dean was too angry to do it.

Dean walked straight into his room while Charlie made sure that Sam drank some water before he went to bed. Benny followed Dean to the back room.

“I don't have a damn leg to stand on with him, do I?” Dean asked as he sat on his bed.

“It doesn't matter if you do. You're his guardian. You get to tell him when he's fucking up, even if you've fucked up in the past.”

“Yeah, I don't think fifteen year olds getting raised by their brothers get that memo, but thanks anyway,” Dean said pressing his face into his hands.

“I'm sorry I let him go out,” Benny apologized, but Dean shook his head.

“He would've snuck out if you hadn't. I should've been home. I-I just wanted one night, you know? Cas offered to buy me a shitty burger, and it just seemed like the best thing on Earth. I never just get to go grab a burger. And I was in such a good mood, I figured I'd buy Sam a burger with the money I had from the lessons with Cas, but he covered that too without a fuss. Then I get home, and Sam's not even here. I mean, I'm never here. I'm always either working or training. I'm supposed to be raising him, but I'm not am I? How am I supposed to lay the law down when I'm never here?” Dean asked as he fell back on the covers. “Fuck. I just wanted one night.”

“He's a teenager, Dean. He's going to be mad and rebellious and confrontational for the next five years. Hell, you're still all of those things, so don't worry. You'll be around for plenty of it. You earned a night off once in a while. Now get some sleep. If Sam needs something, Charlie and I can handle it. You've got to train in the morning,” Benny assured him before stepping back into the hallway.

Dean sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. It had been a really good night too.

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

Dean was out early the next day, and he, Benny, and Charlie paddled out to a secluded spot to work on endurance and diving. They held onto his shoulders as he swam underwater, and they weighed him down with a large rock, so he could walk the ocean floor. Benny pushed him to go a little longer each time. It made his lungs burn and his arms ache, but Dean pushed through it.

Charlie gave encouragement every time he surfaced, and she wasn't above making _Star Wars_ references to convey her pride in him. Benny groaned at them as he tried to keep them on task, but there was an impromptu fifteen minute break while Dean and Charlie argued over _Episode V_.

“Dean, I swear I will drown you if you don't get your ass back underwater in the next ten seconds,” he finally snapped, and both Dean and Charlie laughed at his frustration before diving back down again.

It was good to be out with just them. With the crazy hours they all worked to keep the bills under control, they didn't often have time to hit the water together. Even with Dean's training, it was usually just Dean and Benny, or Dean and Charlie, or sometimes just Dean on his own. This was becoming a rarity, and it burned his chest in a different way to think that their time together was slowly fading away as new responsibilities continued to pile up.

Dean didn't even complain when Benny made him do extra things that drew the session out longer than they said it would. It was just too nice hanging out and laughing with his friends in between exercises to pass up, even if it made him late for Cas' lesson.

Dean ached all over when he finally showed up at Bobby's, but he was determined to show Cas one of his favorite spots on the island. He was almost an hour late, but Cas was sitting there in the lot on the hood of his car, talking into his phone and frowning.

Cas wore a pair of jeans that were tattered at the bottom from dragging on the ground every time he wore them, and a pair of flip flops. He had on a t-shirt that was a little big on him and had some charity's event advertised on the front. Dean smiled as he noted that Cas owned something that was casual.

“I'm really sorry I'm late,” he apologized, standing between Cas' spread legs.

Cas put his finger up to signal that he needed a minute, but he clasped his fingers with Dean's instead of asking for privacy. He listened for another minute without saying anything, then he rolled his eyes melodramatically before he started speaking.

“Mother, you insisted on having this party. You had everyone take off from work and fly to Hawaii with little notice. You can't really be surprised that you are the one that needs to plan the party...Mother, I used every last bit of my vacation time to come here. If I want to spend my vacation enjoying the paradise I came to, then that's what I'm going to do...You have three personal assistants Mother; have one of them do the cake testing with you. God knows, you valued Marcus' opinion over mine when I worked for you...I am not being petty. I haven't had a real vacation in four years. I want to spend this one doing what I want...I'm not spending it with you because I grew up at the damn country club. The last thing I need in my life is another game of golf. I'm hanging up now, Mother. I will see you tonight for dinner, and for the sake of all of your children, please do not make it another six course affair. No one should be exposed to Gabriel for that long... _Goodbye_ , Mother,” Cas said, hanging up before she could say anything else. He looked into Dean's eyes, but his own were tired.

“I'm sorry I'm an hour late. Training went long, and I don't really have a working phone,” Dean said apologetically, still holding Cas' hand.

“Why don't you have a working phone?” Cas asked.

“I may have had to choose between paying the phone bill and paying the mortgage last month. I mean if I need to make a call, Pam lets me use her house line, or Bobby will take a message here. It's just, I don't have a cell to call from the beach,” Dean explained, then wondered why he admitted that to Cas, who couldn't possibly understand having to choose the lesser of two evils like that.

Cas opened his mouth, but Dean could read the look in his eye a mile away. He'd seen it in Bobby's eyes and Pam's and Principal Henriksen's. It was the let me fix this for you face, and Dean had hated it almost as long as he'd been fixing his father's messes.

“Don't Cas. Don't say something you can't take back, because I'm not a fucking charity case. I've been handling this shit since I was a kid. I don't need anyone to fuckin' swoop in and rescue me,” Dean said firmly, standing his full height.

“Very well, but please do not apologize for being late. I enjoyed just watching the beach. Like you said, I don't just go outside and enjoy the world around me as often as I should. So, you were just giving me the perfect opportunity to rectify that,” Cas said, sliding off his rental and into Dean's personal space. Neither stepped back right away.

“For someone who seems extremely uptight at first glance, you're definitely one of the most laid back people I've ever met,” Dean said, heading toward the shop to grab Cas a board.

“I will take that as the compliment, you completely failed at making,” Cas said, following him.

“I like the jeans and t-shirt look by the way.”

“Yes, well I had to prove that I owned something other than a suit. Though I will admit, I had to purchase the sandals, I'd been wearing my brother's til now,” Castiel admitted, and Dean laughed.

“I promise I won't tell.”

“Thank you. What do you have planned for us today?” Cas asked as Dean pulled a different board than the one Cas had been using off the wall.

“Want to take you to one of my favorite places on the island to surf. A place only the locals know about,” Dean said as they headed back out of the store. He waved at Bobby as he passed him. Bobby was in the middle of talking to a customer, so they didn't stop to talk.

Cas didn't question him as they strapped the board on top of Dean's. Dean drove again, rolling the windows down and enjoying the open air as they headed north. They pulled off the main road and drove down a dirt and sand road briefly, before Dean stopped the car.

“Welcome to the place I learned to surf,” Dean said as he got out of the car. Cas got out as well and looked through the trees at the deserted beach.

“It's beautiful here,” Cas said softly as he wandered away from the car. Dean stayed back and took the boards down while Cas explored. He wasn't exactly sure why he needed Cas to see this place, but he needed it like water.

“My mom grew up just down that away,” Dean said pointing down the shoreline. Her father was a fisherman and her mom was a school teacher. They'd lived basically on the beach, and mom just grew up watching the waves. She shared her love of it with us, well me I guess. Sam was only a baby when she died. Anyway, she would take me down here as a little kid, and she taught me how to swim in the lagoons down here,” Dean explained as he carried their boards down to the beach.

“I'm sorry, Dean,” Cas said solemnly, standing beside Dean. He continued to look around the beach with a reverence to his gaze. “You have experienced so much loss.”

“It happens,” Dean shrugged. “Go lose the jeans, and let me show you what surfing is like when you don't have to spend half of the time watching out for other surfers or worrying about getting your wave snaked.”

Cas cocked his head at the hint of challenge in Dean's tone, quickly pulled his shirt over his head, and popped the button on his jeans.

Dean laughed as Cas dropped the jeans, and just stood there with them around his ankles, in just his boxers. “Dude, you don't want to surf naked. I promise you that wax chafes like hell,” he warned him, and Cas laughed as he walked back to the car to grab his board shorts. He didn't even turn away as he dropped his boxers and tugged them on.

Dean didn't look away either, completely taking the bait. He wasn't entirely sure what he was getting himself into. Cas had said it plain as day to his mother. He was using all of his vacation time on this trip, and he hadn't taken a real one in four years. There was no future in this, but then again there was little security in Dean's future to begin with, so what was one more short term thing?

Dean definitely hadn't been expecting this quirky man to be hidden behind the scowl and perfectly pressed Armani he'd first saw him wearing. Dean couldn't help but wonder if it was all an act, but the longer he spent with Cas each day, the more he wondered if the man who scowled and couldn't take direction was the act.

Cas broke his train of thought as he walked over and took his board from Dean. Dean just smiled and led him down to the water. Cas easily kept up with him as he paddled out. He was in great shape, Dean would give him that. His duck dives could still use a little work, but he didn't get knocked off and practically washed ashore with every wave anymore.

“So, the break here is pretty good. It's not as big as some places on this part of island, and it doesn't create crazy barrels like Pipe does, but the waves are smooth and reliable. I broke my good aerial board a couple seasons ago, but the one I brought you should be good for learning a few tricks if you're up for trying,” Dean said, sitting on his board and looking out at the ocean. Cas mirrored his position, and the line of tension in his shoulders was slowly easing.

“I'll try anything you're willing to teach me,” Cas agreed, turning his head just enough to smile at Dean.

“Don't challenge me, Cas,” Dean warned playfully, before turning his board and catching a coming wave. He cut right as soon as he felt it pick him up, and he started pumping up and down the face of the wave, making bigger and bigger cuts until he launched himself up, twisting in the air to land on the face of the wave with his board. It was a shaky landing, and he almost lost his footing, but he stuck it out through the white water, before cutting back and over the wave. He paddled back to Cas with a smile on his face.

“You are an incorrigible showoff,” Cas said, looking for his own wave to catch.

Dean laughed and splashed Cas which earned him a huff and narrowed eyes. Dean waited until Cas turned back to the horizon before he splashed Cas again. This time Cas splashed back, which only encouraged Dean to make a bigger splash. It of course escalated until Cas leaned too far in his attempt to douse Dean and ended up falling right off his board.

Dean was shaking with laughter when Cas resurfaced, until Cas yanking him into the water with him. Dean came up sputtering, but he was still laughing as Cas dunked him again. Dean just wrapped his arms around Cas' waist while he was under a second time and held him close as he came up.

“For a guy trying to woo me, you certainly are violent,” Dean laughed, holding Cas to his body as they tread water.

“You started it, and who says I'm trying to woo you?” Cas countered, wrapping his own arms around Dean.

“You threw yourself at me last night,” Dean insisted playfully.

“It was that horrid boxed wine from the burger joint. I think it addled my brains. I assure you that I am completely in possession of my wits today and most certainly not trying to woo you,” Cas said, wearing a very prim expression.

“Is that why you're sporting a boner?” Dean asked cheekily, grinding their hips together.

“I am not sporting a—” Cas broke off in a moan as Dean continued to press against his body.

“You were saying?”

“I think it's you who are trying to woo me, though juvenile as your attempts are,” Cas said.

“Oh, yeah that might be true. Is it working?” Dean asked, leaning in to capture Cas' lips in a slow, sensual kiss.

Cas pulled back releasing another soft moan, before slowly opening his eyes. “It may be moderately successful, but I'd still like to catch a wave,” Cas said, though he leaned in again for another kiss instead of pulling away.

“Fine, let's see what you can do,” Dean said, pulling back and giving Cas a playful push toward his board. “Get on up, and show me what you've got.”

Dean could see Cas get that competitive look in his eye as he pulled himself back up and turned to face the shore. Dean told him when to start paddling, and watched as Cas put all his power into each stroke. He caught it and managed to cut to the right and ride along the face of the wave. It wasn't anything special as far as tricks or precision went, but Cas was steady, and he performed the basic skills that Dean had drilled into him. Dean was actually quite proud of him, and it was made sweeter by how happy Cas seemed as he rode that wave.

Dean caught another wave while Cas was paddling back out, and he cut as close to Cas as he could and safely pass him, not knowing what his reaction would be to Dean heading straight for him. As he came close, he crouched low and let his fingers trail through the water. Just as he passed Cas, he flicked his fingers up and splashed him. Dean cackled as Cas nearly squawked, straightening up and finishing his ride.

Cas watched him with narrowed eyes as he paddled back out to him, but Dean could tell he was fighting a smile. They continued to catch waves for over an hour. Cas fell almost as often as he got a clean ride, but he didn't seem put off by his falls the way he had the first day, and that was good. He seemed much more relaxed here, and Dean knew that feeling. He'd always loved this spot.

Dean's whole body ached from training, so he laid off catching waves for a while—just leaned back on his board and watched the beach. Cas caught a couple more rides before paddling alongside Dean and mimicking his position.

“This place is incredible,” Cas told him as they sat there.

“Yeah, just a little piece of paradise, isn't it?” Dean didn't even look away from the quiet beach.

“Do you think of her often?” Cas asked, and Dean didn't need clarification.

“Every damn day. God, I have all these memories of her smiling and teaching me to swim and chasing me around this beach. She was always smiling. And then I have this awful memory of her dying, and it was like a switch that flipped. One day the world was bright beautiful colors, adventure, and love. Then next the world was gray, cruel, and constantly beating me down. But there was still this beach. Dad refused to come here after, so he wouldn't come looking for me and Sammy if we came down here. And there was the ocean. There's always been the ocean. Swimming, surfing, whatever, it's always here,” Dean said, turning to look at Cas.

This wasn't something Dean spoke about. He barely even mentioned his mom to Charlie and Benny, and they were his best friends. The only person Dean would talk about her to was Sam, and that was only because Dean had been old enough to remember their mother, and he couldn't keep her from Sam.

“I'm sorry, Dean,” Cas said as he reached over and rested his hand on Dean's knee.

“Nothing to be sorry about, Cas. You didn't mug her for her tip money on the way out of work one night. You have nothing to be sorry for,” Dean said, but Cas squeezed his leg.

“I'm sorry you've known such loss from such a young age. I'm sorry you feel that you need to bear all of your burdens alone. I'm sorry that you aren't ready to let someone in and help you with the weight on your shoulders,” Cas said, looking into Dean's eyes.

“Don't feel too bad. I've let you in a lot further than most,” Dean shrugged, and he could see the sadness in Cas' eyes. He just couldn't let him in, because that was just another weakness that would inevitably end in pain. No, Dean wouldn't open himself to that. “That's enough sadness, man. This is my happy spot. Stop killin' the vibes,” he said, brushing the conversation away.

Cas sighed, but he leaned across the small expanse of water between their boards to press his lips to Dean's. Dean deepened the kiss and swung his leg over so he was sitting sideways on his board, giving him the ability to face Cas. Cas didn't do the same, but he wasn't as sure of his balance on his board as Dean. Still, Dean cupped his face and continued to kiss him until they both needed to pull back for breath.

They lost track of time as they continued to kiss and murmur to each other, floating peacefully in the water. Eventually, they realized that they'd drifted quite away. Dean led Cas back to where they'd started before they paddled back in. They took their time getting out of the water, leaving their boards on the beach and relaxing in the water for a bit.

Dean came back to reality when he heard several car doors slam closed. He pulled away from Cas, and got out of the water. Looking up toward the car, he saw Lilith and Alastair heading down toward the water with several of their friends.

“Time to go,” Dean said, quickly grabbing his board and heading up toward the car.

“Who are they?” Cas asked as he quickly followed Dean's lead.

“Trouble,” was all Dean said, his posture becoming tense as they got closer to the group.

“Who's this Dean? He don't look like a local,” Lilith asked, her thin but muscular arms crossed over her chest. Her nails were always the same shade as blood, and it never failed to unnerve Dean.

“He was born and raise here, and he's a friend,” Dean said, pushing past them without further clarification.

“A little birdie tells me you've been hanging around one of the Novaks,” Lilith singsonged as Alastair stepped into Cas' path. Dean was going to kill his little brother if he had been telling Ruby about Dean's life. Then again, anyone who surfed near Bobby's could probably tell who Dean had been training.

“What business is it of yours?” Dean growled.

“None, except when you bring the spoiled brat to our beach and let him surf our waves,” Alastair spoke this time, and Dean was just dying to put a fist to the asshole's face.

“Fuck you, this isn't your beach, and until you can catch a wave without embarrassing yourself, I wouldn't call them your waves either,” Dean said.

“That so?” Alastair's tone was definitely malicious, and the guy didn't even hesitate as he struck out and punched Cas right in the face.

Dean dropped his board and speared Alastair to the ground. He started punching as soon as he had the guy down, but Alastair flipped them and wailed on Dean as well.

Lilith made no attempt to join any fighting, nor allow anyone else to either. They stood and watched the pair fight while Cas wiped at the blood running down his face.

“Enjoying being a kept boy Dean? If I'd known you could be bought, I might have thrown you a dollar or two,” Alastair taunted as he pinned Dean to the ground. Hours of training were working against Dean right now.

Then as Alastair opened his mouth again, Cas stepped behind him and punched him in the kidney. Alastair groaned and rolled off of Dean, and Cas dove on top of him. They started to grapple, but before any more punches could be traded, Lilth cleared her throat.

She was standing over Dean's board holding a much denser paddle board over the center of it, tail facing down. “You've got a competition coming up soon don't you, Dean. And you must be running low on boards after your accident and your little meltdown. Would be an awful shame to lose another,” she taunted, letting her board slip a little closer to Dean's.

Dean didn't ask her not to, but Cas looked like he was about to until Alastair punched him in the gut and pushed him aside. Lilith slammed the paddle board down onto Dean's and almost broken the entire thing in half.

“Oops, violence makes me jumpy,” she mocked him before stepping back and walking down to the water. “Keep your trash off our beach, Dean,” she called over her shoulder as she went. Alastair got to his feet and followed her along with the rest of their pack.

Dean sighed as he got to his feet and offered Cas a hand up. “That was uncalled for. Can you fix it? Do you have enough for your competition?” Cas asked as he looked down at Dean's smashed board. Dean shrugged, picked the board up, and shoved in into the back seat of the car. “Are you alright, Dean?” Cas asked as Dean silently strapped Cas' board to his car.

Dean tightened the straps but didn't say anything until Cas prompted him again. He spun around and crowded Cas against his car. “It's a stupid board, Cas. Are _you_ okay?” Dean asked, wiping at the blood on Cas' face before cupping his jaw as gently as he could.

“I'm fine, Dean. You took more of a beating than I did. Don't think I didn't see him get you good in the ribs,” Cas said, running his fingers lightly over Dean's side. Dean hissed softly when he added a little pressure to his touch. “Come back to my house. We'll get cleaned up, and it has its own private beach we can enjoy,” Cas insisted.

Dean wanted to protest, but his body ached, and he really didn't want to fight with Cas over what was entirely Lilith and Alastair's fault. Instead, he nuzzled Cas' neck and agreed.

They drove further up the coast, but instead of heading for the Novak estates, they headed toward one of the lagoons. It was still in the wealthy part of the area, but it was less ostentatious. Cas directed him to a fairly large house on the beach.

“It's not actually mine. I'm just renting. Couldn't possibly stay up there with the family,” Cas said when Dean whistled at the beautiful house.

“I wouldn't mind living here for a few weeks,” Dean laughed harshly as he looked over the place as they walked inside. “My last board is in my back seat in pieces, and you're renting a place about ten times the size of my fuckin' shack,” Dean said as he looked at an ornately framed painting.

“You're letting me buy you a new board,” Cas insisted as he watched Dean.

“I'm not your fuckin' kept boy, Cas. You can't buy me,” Dean hissed.

“Don't listen to anything that man said, Dean. I'm not trying to buy you, but I was the reason you got into that fight. I'm the reason that board was destroyed. I'm—”

“No, Alastair is.”

“Still, I understand that you don't want to let me in, but you need a board. You probably need several. Consider this an investment in your career, in your success,” Cas bargained, but Dean didn't like it. He didn't like the blurring lines that were letting Cas sink under his skin, but at the same time he didn't have it in him to fight it. He also was in dire need of a board. Lilith was right, he'd not just broken his board in the accident. He'd destroyed a bunch during the depression that followed. He'd believed he would never surf again, and he'd smash most of his old boards for taunting him. Then John disappeared, and the bills kept piling.

“Fine, but nothing fancy. I need functional, not pretty,” Dean groused, but the fight had already been knocked out of him.

“I can do that. Now, come on, let's get cleaned up,” Cas said, holding out his hand.

Dean didn't protest as Cas led him through the house to the master bathroom. He ran the huge tub while he grabbed a couple washcloths. Dean grabbed his arm as he fussed and pushed him onto the lid of the toilet. He wet the washcloth that Cas handed to him and started to carefully clean the blood from Cas' face and chest.

Cas didn't fight Dean's care. He didn't even flinch as Dean checked to see if his nose was broken. When Dean was finished with him, he switched their positions and gave Dean a thorough going over. When they were both satisfied with each other's state of health, Cas pulled Dean into the bath tub.

Dean groaned as his aching body settled into the steaming water. “This feels incredible, Cas,” he said, leaning against the wall of the tub.

Cas smiled as he sank into the water on the other side of the massive tub. “Something tells me you don't take as good care of yourself as you do everyone around you,” Cas said, nudging Dean's knee with his foot. Dean's knees fell open at the mere caress, and he shuddered as Cas slowly inched his foot up Dean's thigh.

Dean let his head loll back against the lip of the tub and closed his eyes just enjoying the touch. When Cas replaced his foot with his fingertips, Dean sighed in contentment. Dean barely felt the water lap as Cas moved to kneel between Dean's spread legs. He kneaded the flesh of Dean's thighs as he leaned over him.

Dean opened his eyes when Cas pressed a kiss to his throat. His hands were getting dangerously close to Dean's stirring erection, but Dean wasn't certain he had the energy to do much more than lie there after the day he'd had.

“Cas, not yet. If we do this, I want to be more than half awake for it, and trust me I'm definitely worth it,” Dean said, wrapping his hand behind Cas' head to keep the kisses coming. Cas laughed against his throat, but his fingers didn't move any further up Dean's thighs.

“You're awfully confident about that,” Cas said just beneath Dean's ear, his voice even deeper than usual.

“Damn right, I am. I may be a poor high school dropout living from paycheck to paycheck, but I know for certain I am excellent at two things. Surfing and sex,” Dean said, sitting up just a little, ready to prove it.

“I'm a businessman, Dean. I don't trust anyone who doesn't come with stellar references,” Cas said. “Do you have any references?”

“If I had a phone, I would call every last man and woman I ever slept with just to wipe that smug look off your face,” Dean said, pushing Cas back to straddle his thighs. Dean captured Cas' lips and took control of the steamy kiss, coaxing Cas' lips apart with insistent strokes of his tongue. He ground down on Cas' lap as he continued to kiss him thoroughly.

When Cas gasped into their kiss, Dean pulled away with a cheeky smile. “I'm even better after a nap,” Dean said, trying to keep a straight face, but when Cas laughed softly, Dean couldn't hold back his smile.

“A nap?”

“Yeah, you said I need to take better care of myself. Figure a well deserved nap is a good place to start. I tested out your bed while your back was turned, I think it'll do.” Dean gave into his own laughter.

Cas shook his head pulling Dean in for another kiss. They rinsed off and got out of the tub. Cas' towels were softer than clouds, and Dean had to bite the side of his cheek from commenting on it. Cas may have brought out his playful side, but he still had enough pride not to continue to remind Cas just how low he was stooping to be with Dean.

The bed was incredible though, and Dean didn't feel bad at all for moaning as he made himself comfortable in the soft sheets. Cas smiled at him as he too made himself at home, pulling Dean close and draping the top sheet over their naked bodies.

“I know it didn't turn out quite as you may have hoped, but thank you for today, Dean. Thank you for sharing that place with me,” Cas said. They both rested on their sides, facing each other, legs tangled. Dean's eyes drooped even as Cas spoke.

“Glad you enjoyed it, Cas,” Dean mumbled, drifting off to sleep.

Dean woke after the sun had set, and he actually felt refreshed. It couldn't have been more than three hours since he fell asleep, but any sleep without nightmares was good sleep. Cas wasn't in bed with him, but Dean could smell food cooking. He looked up to see the large sliding door in the bedroom was open, letting the ocean breeze in, and with it the smell of grilling steaks.

Dean was about to wrap the sheet around his waist in order to investigate, but a pair of athletic shorts were lying on the foot of the bed. Dean pulled those on and stepped outside. Cas was sitting on the low stone wall that separated the back patio from the beach. He had a beer in one hand and tongs in the other.

“Didn't you have dinner with your mom tonight?” Dean asked, suddenly feeling like he was overstaying his welcome.

“If I had rather had dinner with my family, trust me, you would've known. However, I much prefer some rare steaks and a couple beers with good company,” Cas said with a slight smile.

Dean sat next to him on the wall and accepted Cas' beer, taking a slow swig. It was the same cheap stuff that Dean drank, and it surprised him. It must have shown on his face because Cas was definitely laughing at him.

“Don't worry, I have micro brews in the fridge, but I drink so much expensive wine while at my mother's that sometimes a Bud is the best thing,” Cas said, getting up to check the meat. “I hope you like steaks.”

“Haven't had a good steak in years,” Dean admitted, finishing off Cas' drink.

“Well then, I get to treat you,” Cas said with that understated smile of his. He walked over to a cooler and got them each another beer before joining Dean again. “You sleep well?” he asked, resting his hand on Dean's thigh.

“Yeah. I hope I didn't force you into a nap. I was just—”

“Don't apologize. You had every right to be exhausted, and I read most of the time you were asleep, until I decided you'd probably be hungry when you woke up.”

“Okay, just let me know if I'm overstaying my welcome.”

“You're always welcome, Dean.”

“You say that now, but when Sammy, Benny, and Charlie are suddenly taking up all of your guest rooms and eating your steaks, you'll change your tune,” Dean said, and Cas laughed, squeezing his leg.

They talked while the food finished cooking, and shared funny stories over dinner. It was surprisingly laid back considering they'd been moments from having sex in the bathtub. Cas didn't bring it up, though he still seemed completely interested. He seemed completely content to continue getting to know Dean.

When dinner was over, Dean expected to take things back to the bedroom, but as Dean was cleaning the dishes and Cas was drying them, Cas nudged his shoulder. “I haven't gotten to show you my private beach yet,” he said.

“We could do that,” Dean agreed. They finished up the dishes, then Cas pulled Dean out the back door. They started talking about their lives again as they wandered down toward the water.

They stumbled along the beach. Dean was still clutching his side from laughing at a story Cas told him about a business meeting gone extremely wrong. “Do all of your clients offer a happy ending when you're done with them?” Dean almost choked on the words, he was laughing so hard.

“Thankfully no. I was mortified. The man was just so grateful and started unbuttoning my slacks, and I have never been so flabbergasted in the office before,” Cas said, taking a seat at the water's edge.

“You mean people aren't just lining up to get to see what you hide under all those fancy suits?” Dean joked, bumping their shoulders together.

“If you must know, my sex life isn't exactly action packed since I started my business. Too much work to have much time for play,” Cas admitted.

“Yeah, try raising a rebellious fourteen year old. I haven't gotten my dick wet regularly since I became an honorary parent,” Dean countered, leaning back with his palms in the sand.

“I find that hard to believe,” Cas said, looking at him with that weird stare he sometimes used.

“Calling me a liar?”

“No, it's just that you're so magnetic. I just imagine people would be drawn to you the way I am,” Cas said, leaning a little toward Dean. Dean didn't fight the kiss. Cas pressed his lips to Dean's, and Dean went with it. Cas' lips were softer than they looked, and the kiss itself was tender instead of impassioned.

When they pulled back though, Dean glared at Castiel. “Look, I'm not some easy lay that's just going to let you fuck me because your family owns half the island, and you've got a ton of money on your own. You've got the fancy words mastered, but I don't need bigger headaches in my life just because I'm horny,” Dean growled, but Cas didn't stop looking at him with wonder.

“That's not what I think when I look at you, Dean. I see a hardworking, passionate man who puts others far before himself. I couldn't care less what your pay stub says or what part of the island you live on,” Cas said, cupping Dean's jaw.

“Fine, so long as we got that sorted. You should probably lose those pants because I really haven't gotten laid in forever,” Dean growled, pushing Cas back into the sand. He unbuckled his shorts and shoved them down Cas' thighs before Cas could offer any help. “Shirt too,” he ordered.

While Cas stripped his shirt, Dean tugged off his own shorts and threw them to the side. “Ever gone skinny dipping before, Cas?”

“Yes, actually. When I was about sixteen.” Cas actually laughed, and Dean smiled before taking off toward the water.

“Race ya!”

Cas chased after him tugging down his boxers as he ran and diving right into the surf just behind Dean. Dean didn't stop once he hit the water though. He swam out until he was past the breakers in the edge. It was still shallow enough to stand, but it was also deep enough that the water came up to his waist, obscuring his nudity.

Cas surfaced a few feet away from him and stayed crouched, so his shoulders touched the water. “Why exactly was it necessary that we take our clothes off to swim?” Cas asked, clearly hoping no one spotted them and called the authorities. He may have been an adult, but his mother would skin him alive if she got word of this.

“So we can do this,” Dean said as he ducked under the water. Cas almost shouted as Dean's hand wrapped around his cock. Dean surfaced right in front of Cas' face, wearing a shit eating grin as Cas groaned at the way his fingers gripped him. “Way more fun that beach sex. Trust me, there is nothing sexy about sand in sensitive places,” Dean laughed, and Cas sighed as Dean gave him a few slow pumps. “Also, this'll be good breathing practice,” Dean said.

Cas looked like he was about to question, but Dean ducked under again before he could. He opened his eyes as soon as he was under the surface, but it was too dark out to be able to get a good look at Cas. Instead, Dean followed his touch, and took the head of Cas' cock between his lips. He smirked when Cas buried his fingers in Dean's hair.

Dean ran his tongue over the head twice before coming up for air, and to get a look at Cas' face. Cas' eyes were closed when he surfaced, and his head was tipped back. But as soon as Dean was up, he slowly opened them and looked down at him.

“That a good enough reason for skinny dipping?” Dean asked before Cas could locate his tongue. Cas nodded slowly, and Dean gave him a cheeky smile before going under again.

He cupped Cas' balls with his left hand while he took as much of him as he could in his mouth. Both of Cas' hands were in his hair as he slowly took him in then pulled back again to focus on the head. He heard a cry that was muffled by the water around him as he gently pressed his tongue to the slit.

When Dean came up for air again, Cas was panting and gripping Dean's shoulder tightly to hold himself up. Dean smiled as he leaned up to kiss him. Cas opened to Dean instantly and pulled him in for a sensual kiss. Dean groaned as Cas ran his fingers down his spine. His other hand tugged at Dean's hair, and it felt incredible.

“No, please,” Cas said when Dean started to sink down into the water again. “I want you to enjoy this too. Want to see you,” he said as he reached between them and circled his hand around both of their erections.

Dean couldn't hold back his moan as Cas pressed their cocks together. “I want to be able to kiss you and feel you in my arms,” Cas told him as he wrapped his other arm around Dean's waist. It felt secure, and there was something nice about that as Cas pumped their cocks together. Dean ran his own fingers down Cas' back and scratched lightly as he reached the bottom of his spine. Cas actually whimpered as Dean cupped his ass with strong hands.

The slide of their erections against one another felt like heaven, and Dean saw stars when Cas circled the head of his cock with his thumb. “That feel good?” Cas asked, and Dean could tell he was asking more to make sure than as an attempt at dirty talk.

“Feels great,” Dean confirmed as he thrust up into Cas' fist. They both gasped at the intense sensation, and Dean couldn't stop himself from wrapping a leg around Cas hip to gain more leverage. Cas cupped his ass with his free hand and urged Dean to keep thrusting against him. Dean tightened his leg around Cas, increasing the pressure between them, and he was rewarded with a soft, breathy sigh from Cas.

They continued to kiss almost desperately as they pushed each other closer to the edge. The water lapping around them increased their pleasure as their bodies slid against each other.

Dean was getting close when Cas suddenly trailed his fingers down the cleft of his ass, then softly pressed his knuckles to Dean's hole. Dean fought the groan, but it was ripped out of him when Cas circled his hole with the knuckle of his middle finger. He didn't try to penetrate him, but the pressure there felt amazing when combined with everything else. Dean's breath hitched as Cas increased the pressure just a little bit with ever circle, until Dean was basically grinding their cocks together in Cas' grasp, while Cas pressed the flat of two fingers hard against his entrance and perineum.

Dean gasped as he spilled between them, and Cas continued to press his fingers against him until his body stopped convulsing. Cas kissed softly at his neck as he continued to stroke them together. It was just the right side of too intense as Cas sought his own release. Dean grabbed his ass tight and pulled Cas against him with as much strength as he could as he came down from his orgasm. Cas cried out, but Dean swallowed the noise with a passionate kiss as Cas came as well. Dean could feel Cas' cock spasm against his.

They both collapsed into the water, unable to hold each other up any longer. They laughed as water splashed around them. “Maybe we should go dry off,” Dean suggested as he looked at the way the water made Cas' hair stand up.

“Not yet,” Cas countered, pulling Dean in for another kiss. “You said you didn't get to do this often, so I think we should probably enjoy it as long as we can,” Cas suggested.

“Can't argue with that,” Dean agreed, wrapping his arms around Cas.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Three hours later when Dean snuck in too late to run again, Benny argued with it. Benny was sitting in the kitchen staring at a bottle of Scotch with an empty tumbler in front of him. Charlie was sitting on the counter across the room, looking at the bottle like it was attempting to snatch her baby from her, or maybe her computer because Dean didn't think Charlie wanted kids.

“What's wrong guys?” Dean asked as he tossed his keys into the small ceramic dish shaped like Darth Vader's mask that Charlie had made in pottery class back in school.

“What's wrong?” Benny asked with a harsh chuckle. “What's wrong?” he repeated looking up at Charlie who grimaced.

“Well, let's start with Principal Henriksen calling Pam to let us know that Sam's skipped three classes this week, and that's grounds for a suspension. I try to get a hold of you, but Bobby says you left early for a surf lesson. Never mind, the fact that we were supposed to train today as soon as you got off work. Charlie, what time is it?” Benny asked since she was sitting in front of the clock on the microwave.

“One-o-seven,” she said softly, glancing behind her.

“One in the morning. Perfect time for training out on the water. We can just light some torches and take out the jetskis,” Benny said looking at Dean with the disappointed twist of his lips that his father had never quite perfected. It had always been too annoyed to be disappointment.

“I get it, I wasn't around today. I'm allowed to have my own life once in a while,” Dean said, refusing to feel bad for his night with Cas.

“Sure you are, Dean, but maybe wait until after the competition or until you figure out what crawled up your brother's ass and died. He's been one hell of a mess lately, but I'm not sure you've even noticed,” Benny argued.

“Don't tell me about my brother. I fuckin' know him better than anyone. I've been dragging his ass away from Ruby and her gang since long before Dad up and left. Maybe I'm fucking tired, Benny. Maybe I'm sick of holding it all together, because the more I hold shit together, the more people try to pull it apart.

“I've been going to parent-teacher conferences for years just to be told that I'm a bad influence on Sam. Well, I'm sorry I've been working since I was twelve, so he could fucking eat every night. I'm sorry I didn't have it in me to finish school when every day I went there, they told me I was trash. I'm fucking sorry that our best shot at paying next month's bills rest entirely on me winning a fucking surfing competition.

“Do you realize that the only thing I kept just for me to get me through all the shit is now part of the shit? You think I was ready to jump back on a board less than a year after I almost died? I'm twenty-two years old. I shouldn't be in this situation in the first place. So, I'm sorry if I need something for me once in a fuckin' while. Cas makes me feel like I can keep my head above water for a little while. If you can't accept that, then I don't know why you're here,” Dean shouted.

Charlie's eyes were watery as she watched him, and Benny looked tired. “Dean,” he started, but Dean shook his head. He really didn't want to hear their reasoning or apologies. “We're here because you're our best friend, and we said we'd be in this together. We just don't want you to lose your one chance,” Benny said anyway. Dean knew he was right, and he knew that he cared, probably way more than he should. Dean was just so tired of being strong for everyone else.

“I'll work with you all day tomorrow. I-I just needed today,” Dean sighed as he walked through the kitchen to the screened porch that doubled as his room.

“Dean?” Charlie asked softly from the doorway as he flopped on his bed.

“Yeah?”

“Did you have a nice time with Castiel?” she asked, walking in and sitting on the bed next to him.

“Yeah, I had a really good time, Charlie. He's pretty awesome,” Dean said, resting his head in her lap, so she could massage his skull. She was really good at that, and it always relieved some of the residual tension he constantly felt.

“I'm glad.”

“Thanks, Charlie.”

“You know Benny cares right?” she asked timidly.

“Benny's been a brother to me since I was six, Charlie. He's had my back for as long as I can remember. Doesn't mean I always want to hear what he has to say,” Dean sighed.

“Okay.”

The next morning, Benny had Dean's ass out of bed before dawn. The run down to the beach was no more fun than any other day of early training. Still, he sucked it up and did it without complaint because he really didn't have a leg to stand on.

He thought about the night before as he ran, and it was definitely pleasant fodder to get him through. He wanted to hold Cas again, but he needed to put his priorities in order if he wanted to have any hope of succeeding at Pipe Masters.

Cas insisted that they were picking his new board today even if they had to visit every shop on Oahu, which Dean had told him was probably a bit over zealous, but Dean really did need a replacement. He could use Benny's or the tow boards today, but he needed to get used to whichever board he'd be using for the competition, preferably before the competition.

“Dean, get your head out of your ass. You're pace is nearly a minute off,” Benny shouted out the window of the beat up old camper he drove.

Dean gave him the finger, but he picked up his pace. It was going to be a long day.

They did Dean's usual workout on the beach. When he was finished with each circuit, Benny had him paddle out past the break and back in again before starting over. Benny sat on the beach timing Dean.

When they were finished, Dean worked through several yoga poses to loosen his body back up, before Benny bundled him up into the truck. The drive up to North Shore wasn't long, but Dean could still feel that Benny hadn't completely forgiven him, so it was a little tense.

“When we get there, I'll pick up the ski while you get your head in this. Garth is up there scouting us a place, so you better grovel if you see him because you know how he doesn't like to leave the neighborhood,” Benny said as they drove.

Dean nodded, already trying to put everything else out of his mind. Tow-ins weren't anything to walk into without one hundred percent focus. Dean wasn't big on yoga or meditation, but after the accident they were the only things that cleared his head enough to surf big waves around the dangerous reefs.

Benny didn't say anything else, and Dean tried to focus his thoughts on visualizing the waves and how he'd approach every possible outcome. Benny actually had to tap his shoulder when they parked, because Dean was so far into his own head.

“Let's go, brother. You've got this,” Benny said softly, before getting out of the truck.

Benny pulled the board Dean would be using down before heading over to get their ride settled. Dean sat in the shade, watching the waves form. Garth had some sort of sixth sense for Dean's location because he popped up beside him within minutes.

“Good formations this morning on Sunset. Reliable sets, rideable shoulders, nothing funky goin' on. So, you should be set for a good session. You can only hope for a day this good for Pipe Masters,” Garth rattled off, staring straight at the surf.

Dean could tell that even as he spoke he was counting the time between sets. “Building steady, but I don't think it's getting too much bigger than it is now. The winds aren't bein' too pushy today,” Garth continued to report. Dean knew he could continue to spit out information for hours. Dean always wanted to see Garth actually ride the waves he studied so carefully, but Garth rarely got on a board, and when he did it was a paddle board far away from big waves. Dean still believed Garth would out surf them all if he ever got the nerve up.

“Mornin' Garth. You ready, Dean?” Benny said as he came over to them.

“Hey, Benny. Was just telling Dean what a good day you two picked,” Garth said with a smile.

“That's good,” Benny agreed, while Dean got to his feet and stretched his body out.

They loaded Dean onto the back of the jetski with his board, and Benny rode them out to catch some big waves. Dean held on and watched the other surfers while they went. Garth was right, the waves were pretty steady, and the surfers were getting clean enough rides. That meant it was all on him not to fuck it up by going too far into his own head.

They sat out there for nearly twenty minutes before Benny towed him into his first wave. Benny didn't push him to take anything. He waited silently for Dean to get his focus. He hadn't towed in more than a few times since the accident, and every time he had to take a long while to steady himself. It was a conscious effort to get his hands steady and his mind clear, but it always came. The roll of the water, the smell, the sounds of the breaks all brought peace to Dean's mind. They always had, and they were nothing like the violent battering and roar of a tumbling breaker.

When he was ready, he gave Benny the signal and he grabbed the tow line. He steadied himself as soon as he was standing and following Benny into a wave. Benny towed him in expertly, and he pulled back over the wave when Dean let go and let it take him. It was always exhilarating to ride the big waves. He watched the wave as he dropped in then angled his board toward the smooth shoulder.

It wasn't a fancy ride, but he kept it clean angling himself down-the-line and staying steady and present. Dean ducked low, gathering speed to out run the wave as it crested and broke. Dean could feel the heavy white water licking at his back, but he kept his eyes forward and focused on his speed and balance. When he pulled out in front of the wave and rode it in as far as he could, he breathed a sight of relief as he headed back out toward Benny.

The second wave felt more natural, and the waves after that started to feel right again. Dean concentrated on his breathing and reading the waves. He caught a clean barrel near the end of the session. He watched it hollow and angled himself straight down it. He laid back as he rode, focusing his speed, so he wouldn't get trapped inside when it eventually closed, and he nearly whooped with excitement when he made it out the other side cleanly.

The entire ride back home, Dean told and retold Benny about how awesome that ride was, and Benny smiled and laughed in all the right spots each time he told him.

Benny didn't even protest when Dean told him he was going out that night and wouldn't likely be back until morning. They agreed to morning practice before they both had work, and an evening session that Charlie would run because Benny was working late.

Dean drove to pick Sam up from school that afternoon, and he marched into Victor's office to talk with him about Sam cutting classes. Victor looked just as stressed as he had when Dean was a student. He still felt thoroughly scolded as he was called into the small office that Victor had.

“Thank you for coming in, Dean,” Victor said as he sorted through several notices on his desk. “I'm not here to question your competence as a parent. I'm not ignorant. I know you've been raising Sam far longer than his record has been taking a hit,” he said, in what Dean assumed was supposed to be a reassuring manner.

“Then why am I here?” Dean asked, sitting up straight in his chair.

“I'm worried about Sam. The same way I was worried about you during your time here. I know it doesn't always come off that way, but I have my students best interests in mind at all times.”

“And what do you think is best for Sam? Foster care?” Dean asked. He wanted to walk out, but he knew he needed to see this through, because he couldn't risk Sam's future on this.

“No, Dean. I think that would probably the worst possible scenario for Sam's continued success. Sam is rebelling, Dean. You did it. Most of my students are doing it in some way. Sam has more reason to than most, but he has a lot more to lose too. He's Ivy League material which I'm sure you are aware of. However, constant tardiness, cutting class, drug use all risk his likelihood of acceptance or ability to acquire scholarships. So, I think we need to work together to keep him on track,” Victor said, and Dean squinted at him, not sure where he was going.

“So, you want me to go behind his back in some scheme to 'help' him? I don't keep secrets from Sam, Victor,” Dean said, pushing his seat back.

“You don't need to keep secrets from him. He's shown a lot of interest in law, especially family law. There are summer programs that cater to youths looking to get a taste of specific careers. Just give him the brochures, and see if he'd be interested in one of them. It would get him out of the area and give him something to work toward,” Victor said, pushing a stack of brochures over the desk.

Dean looked at them and almost immediately pushed them back over to Victor. “We can't afford this kind of thing. A plane ticket to Stanford alone is more than I make in several weeks,” Dean said.

“There are programs that can provide funding for these things. I can help with that, but you need to show your brother that he has something to work toward. Not everyone can buy their ticket out of here by catching an incredible wave, Dean. He needs something concrete to give him hope,” Victor said.

“Yeah, that isn't very likely, Victor.”

“That's always been your problem, Dean. You've never had nearly as much confidence in yourself as everyone else has. You think that the entire school isn't whispering about how Dean Winchester is going to 'kill it' at Pipe? You think all the local shops don't have banners out? Dean, you got a personal invite to one of the biggest competitions of the year. Someone thinks you belong there, and everyone around here knows it. You're the one that needs to realize it though,” Victor told him.

Dean didn't really know what to say, so he just grabbed the brochures and stood. “Thanks for these. I'll be sure to talk to Sam about it,” he said before retreating from the office. As he walked through the halls at dismissal, he felt eyes on him. The students were watching him with awe as he walked back to his car. Even a couple teachers watched him like he was something other than dirt that got stuck to the bottom of their shoe.

Dean hurried out to his car to wait for Sam who came out walking beside Ruby. Dean waved them over and didn't even protest when Sam asked if they could give Ruby a lift. When he pulled up to Ruby's house, he turned around in his seat and looked at them both.

“Listen up. I know I can't tell you not to see each other anymore, but there are going to be rules. No more skipping class. Both of you. You don't like school, that's too bad. It's your job until you graduate. No more drugs on school nights. I can't stop you Ruby, but Sam if I catch you high I will kick your ass into next week. If you guys are having sex, you better be using protection, because I can't afford to be an uncle. I mean that literally. I don't have money to feed another mouth. Are we clear?” Dean asked, sounding a lot more authority than he felt like he had.

Both of them nodded, wide eyed.

“Good, now get out of here. Sam, you better have your ass home by ten, or Pam is coming to get you, and trust me, you don't want to hear Pam's sex talk. I'm still recovering from when she taught me about the birds and the bees. Now get,” he shooed them, and both were out of the back seat in a flash.

“Oh, and Ruby?” Dean called out the window. She turned to look at him questioningly. “Tell your sister that I won't forget what she did,” he said before driving away.

He headed straight toward Cas' house. His head was spinning with all of the things he'd talked to Victor about, and Sam, and even the competition. He knocked on Cas' door hard, and he pushed right past him when he opened the door, alarmed.

“Are you alright, Dean?” Cas asked as he followed Dean through his own house.

“I've just got all this stuff on my mind, and I don't want to. Now, I'm worried about Sam going to some fancy summer camp, and I'm worried about him and Ruby making me an uncle. I did that one to myself because I was thinking too much. Then Victor was talking about the competition, and everyone is counting on me. It's just too much shit, Cas,” Dean said as he paced back and forth in front of him.

“I just want to forget about everything for a little while,” he thought he might actually be begging, but Cas didn't look at him like that. He looked concerned as he stepped in front of Dean and wrapped his arms around Dean's waist.

“Calm down, Dean. Breathe. Tell me what you need,” Cas said, leaning into Dean's space.

Dean looked at him for a second, really looked at him. Cas seemed so calm, and Dean wanted some of that calm. He just needed something to balance him out while he couldn't hold everything together on his own. So, against everything he'd ever learned, he leaned into Cas. He gave him his trust.

“I need help,” Dean said, bowing his head and resting it on Cas' steady shoulder. “I can't do all of this. What if I fuck it all up?” Dean asked as he dug his fingers into Cas' biceps.

“I'm here. Benny and Charlie are with you, Dean. So are Bobby and Sam. No one expects you to hold everything together. They want to help you. We want to help you,” Cas said, pulling Dean even closer. “I'm here,” he whispered.

“I don't know how to ask for help,” Dean said.

“You just did, Dean. Come on, let me get you some water,” Cas said, turning his head just enough to press a kiss to Dean's temple.

“I'd rather a beer,” Dean said, sounding hopeful. Cas' laughter was soothing.

“I can get you a beer,” Cas agreed. Dean let himself be led into the kitchen where Cas opened a bottle of beer for him. Dean took a slow breath before taking a sip of his drink. Cas didn't go anywhere, wrapping himself around Dean as he leaned against the counter.

“Sam's principal wants to send him to some crazy summer camp, and he said he could get him funding and everything. And Sam's got this girlfriend whose whole family is bad news, but he's so over the moon about her. I just feel like I'm losing him. Like it doesn't matter whether I win this or not,” Dean started to talk, and Cas just listened.

“Dean, he's your brother. He's always going to be your brother. He's allowed to have interests and girlfriends. That doesn't change that he loves you, and you look out for him,” Cas said, cupping Dean's face, so Dean was forced to look at him. “It's good, Dean. He's growing up. He's not as dependent on you.”

“But what if—”

“Dean, you've raised him well. You turned out alright, so will he,” Cas said, pressing a kiss to Dean's lips before Dean could lift his beer again.

“What if I fuck up this competition? What if we can't pay the bills, and I lose him? What if the foster family doesn't let him go to camp or—”

“Dean, you'll find a way, no matter what. I may only have known you for a week, but I know that you'll find a way no matter what odds are stacked against you. I believe in you, and I believe that you're going to do amazing at Pipeline.”

“You trying to sweet talk me?” Dean laughed weakly, even though he didn't feel much like joking. He needed something to lighten the mood.

“It's not sweet talk if it's true. It's admiration,” Cas said calmly.

Dean took a deep breath. He wasn't sure whether Cas' faith in him was helping him right now or just adding to the fear of failure. Then Cas leaned in to kiss softly at Dean's neck, and Dean had to put his beer down.

“We should probably head to your room before I psych myself out of anything else,” Dean said, wrapping his hand around the back of Cas' neck and holding him in place. Cas laughed then continued to nip and kiss at Dean's neck and jaw.

Cas pulled back and looked into Dean's eyes, smirking. “You did promise me that you were worth the wait, so I expect quite a performance,” Cas said.

“Oh, I'll give you a performance,” Dean growled, pulling Cas out of the kitchen. Cas followed him eagerly. “I'm going to peel you out of those jeans and give you the best blowjob of your entire life,” Dean promised as he backed into Cas' bedroom, still holding him close.

Dean kicked the door closed as soon as they were inside and pressed Cas up against it as he went. He kissed Cas with bruising force, and he immediately started to unbuckle his belt. Cas met Dean's demands with force of his own, tugging at Dean's shirt.

They stripped each other, tearing more than one article of clothing as they went. When Dean had Cas naked in front of him, he started to work his way down Cas' firm body, pressing insistent kisses along Cas' jaw. Dean paid attention to the skin just below Cas' ear and smiled when Cas released a slow moan.

Dean worked his way down Cas' chest and over his taut stomach as he kissed and nipped every inch of skin in his path. He knelt before him, stroking his thighs gently as he laved at Cas' hip bones. Cas's breath caught, and he buried his fingers in Dean's hair. He didn't guide Dean or demand. He just held on while Dean pleasured him.

When Dean finally took the head of Cas' cock between his lips, he could feel Cas' legs tremble beneath his hands. Cas held onto his hair tighter as Dean took him into his mouth nearly down to the root. Dean pulled back far enough to smirk around the head. “Still want references before you trust me?” he asked, giving Cas a few firm pumps as he spoke.

“Please, don't stop,” Cas begged, and Dean took him in his mouth again, moving his head in slow strokes, making sure to pay attention to what made Cas choke or squirm or gasp.

Cas was incredibly vocal for an often quiet man. Dean thrived on all of the pleasurable sounds Cas made as Dean blew him. He loved watching Cas fall apart before his eyes just from his mouth, but as Cas got close he held Dean's hair tight. Dean didn't stop though. He hollowed his cheeks and took Cas as deep as he could.

Cas cried out as he tipped over the edge and spilled into Dean's mouth. Dean didn't slow until he felt the after shocks fade, and Cas's legs were trembling. Dean pulled back with a predatory smile as he rose to his feet.

Cas pulled him in for a bruising kiss, and they stumbled toward the bed. “Pretty good, huh?” Dean asked as Cas pushed him down onto the sheets.

“Incredible, but now it's my turn,” Cas growled as he slid between Dean's legs and leaned in for another kiss.

Cas didn't waste time as he pumped Dean cock while they kissed. Dean groaned at the feel of Cas' hands on his body. Cas knelt between his legs and took him in his mouth, and Dean couldn't fight his moan. It had been so long since anyone had focused on his pleasure in bed.

Cas seemed to sense Dean's feelings because he slowed down his urgent pace and slowly licked up and down Dean's cock. It was such a beautiful, dirty sight to watch Cas trace the prominent vein of his cock with his long tongue. Dean fought the urge to close his eyes as he watched him. Cas' eyes where hooded, but he watched every reaction that Dean made.

Cas took his time, leading Dean to the edge several times, never pushing him over. Each time Dean came close, it felt more intoxicating. He didn't fight Cas to let him come sooner, just ran his fingers through Cas' wild hair and let him take him for a ride.

Dean's back was half arched off the bed when he felt wet fingers against his hole. His eyes shot open to see a bottle of lubricant lying on the bedspread, and Cas was watching him cautiously. Dean focused on calming himself, but Cas pulled off of his cock and knelt over him, looking straight into his eyes.

“You want this?” he asked, never breaking eye contact.

“Damn right, I want this,” Dean said, pulling Cas in for a heated kiss. He was insistent, and Cas opened to him with a groan. One of Cas' hands was braced beside his head, but he soon felt the other at his entrance again.

Dean groaned as Cas added just enough pressure to send pleasure straight to his gut. He massaged Dean before he slowly sank a slick finger into him. Dean scored his blunt nails down Cas spine as he threw a leg over Cas' hip, demanding more.

Cas panted above him, slowly getting aroused again. He kept his hands steady as he slowly pressed a second finger into Dean, and Dean pressed himself down on the digits.

They continued to kiss, and Dean continued to touch Cas as Cas opened him up with skilled fingers. Dean cried out as Cas crooked his fingers and rubbed over his prostate, and Dean returned the favor by sinking his teeth into Cas' neck just hard enough to leave Cas trembling in his arms.

“Condoms are in the drawer,” Cas panted against Dean's temple, and Dean reached up to grab one of the foil packets, handing it to Cas. Cas tore it open while Dean continued to touch and caress every part of his body he could get his hands on. Dean looked up into Cas' eyes as Cas slicked himself up, and he reached up to give Cas a few strokes before he lined himself up.

Dean wrapped his other leg around Cas' hips as Cas pressed into him, and Dean pushed himself down onto Cas' cock as much as Cas thrust up into him. Both of them were panting when Cas was fully sheathed inside him, and Dean smiled up at him. “Out of breath already, Cas?” he asked with a smirk, and Cas responded with a firm roll of his hips which left Dean gasping for breath.

“I'm not the only one,” Cas said before pulling out and pushing back in hard. Dean grunted as he got used to the feeling of Castiel inside of him. On the third thrust, Dean pushed his hips up to meet Cas, and take him even deeper.

Dean urged Cas on, and Cas gave more with every encouragement Dean gave. They alternated between kissing and watching each others reactions as they each tried to wring out as many gasps and moans from the other as possible.

They were both sweating, and Cas was panting hard above him as they continued to pleasure each other. “Let me take over for a bit,” Dean said, pushing against Cas' chest. Cas grunted, but he didn't fight it as Dean rolled them, so he was straddling Cas' hips.

Dean started to roll his hips slow as he let Cas run his hands over his body. Cas traced his fingers over Dean's tattoo, before wrapping them around Dean's hips.

He pressed two fingers to several of the scars covering Dean's flesh from the accident. He looked up at Dean questioningly even though Dean's scars were often on display. For some reason, now seemed like first time Dean had the courage to answer. “An accident, got dragged over the reef. It's why I don't have a board of my own design or really any boards left,” Dean admitted, and Cas held his thighs tighter.

Dean took his time, pleasuring them both slowly, drawing it out. He didn't draw away from the intimacy of their position like he often might. Instead, he let Cas take in all of him, even the scarred bits.

When they were both breathing steadily again, Dean pressed his palm to the center of Cas' chest and gave him a soft smirk. He snapped his hips forward hard, and Cas' eyes fluttered closed as he cried out. Dean set a punishing pace and he rode Cas, alternating between grinding his hips down and outright fucking himself on Cas' cock.

Both of their cries mingled as Cas gripped his hips and thrust up to meet him. Sweat ran down Dean's back, and he was completely flushed if Cas' body was anything to go by. It was perfect as they worked so well together. Cas was right there with him, giving as good as he was getting, and Dean couldn't fight the pleasure that spiraled down his spine and settled in his gut.

He could see the please mirrored in Cas' expression, and he continued to ride Cas with everything he had. Dean wrapped his fingers around his own erection as he got closer, jerking himself in time with the movement of his hips. Cas quickly swatted his hand away and began to stroke Dean with his still slick palm.

“I'm close,” Dean warned him as he bared down on Cas. Cas just stroked him faster, never losing his own rhythm.

“I want to see you,” Cas said between panting breathes.

Dean didn't argue as he felt himself tipping over the edge. He gripped Cas' shoulders tight as he cried out, feeling the pressure in his stomach ease as pleasure shot through his body. He spilled over Cas' fist.

He felt Cas follow him over as he continued to experience aftershocks. Cas came with a quiet groan, pulling Dean down against his chest and seeking his lips.

Dean kissed him softly through his climax, and they both laid there like that as they caught their breath. Cas slipped out of him, but neither of them made a move to get up. They were both sticky, sweaty messes, but it felt too good to hold each other.

Eventually, they staggered to the bathroom to clean up, wiping each other clean between kisses. When they fell back into bed, they tangled together, sharing lazy kisses.

They spoke quietly about nothing important as they laid there. After a while, Cas pushed up onto his elbows and looked down at Dean with hope in his eyes. “I'd like for you to come to my mother's party with me,” he said.

“You want to take me to some fancy Novak party?” Dean asked skeptically as he ran his fingers over Cas' bicep. “I'm not exactly Novak invite material. I'm more the guy who shows up and parks everyone's cars.”

“You are my friend and lover, of course you belong there. You do not have to come, Dean, but I could use your support. My family isn't always easy for me to deal with.

“I don't even have anything to wear. I have board shorts and torn up jeans,” Dean said, though he wasn't really against going with Cas.

“I'm sure I can get you a suit that fits you,” Cas insisted.

“Fine, but if people give me the stink eye, I'm not above spilling my drink on assholes,” Dean told him, and Cas smiled at him.

“I'm so grateful that Gabriel bought me that lesson, and I got to meet you,” Cas told him leaning down for a kiss.

“I told you I was great a sex. Now, you're getting all sappy on me over it,” Dean joked as they pulled back.

“You're incorrigible,” Cas groaned rolling onto his back and pulling Dean with him. They continued to kiss until they started to drift off to sleep.

They didn't rest for too long before they got out of bed and showered together. It was supposed to be a quick rinse, but it quickly devolved into a second round with Dean pressed up against the thick glass of the shower. When they were finally clean, they pulled on clothing and headed down to Bobby's.

Cas followed Dean around as he inspected all of the boards that Bobby had on display. He knew exactly which one he was looking for, but he wasn't certain whether Bobby had sold it or not since he hadn't been around as much.

“What kind of board are you looking for?” Cas asked, clearly trying to be helpful. Dean reached behind him and grabbed Cas' hand.

“My old competition board was an 8' gun. I could ride anything on that girl. I've surfed on everything, but that was the girl I made myself. She practically carved herself out of the blank, knew exactly what she wanted to be. A stupid mistake on my part destroyed her and almost killed me. She's in the back if you want to see her,” Dean said. He was shocked by his own willingness to show Cas the board he could barely look at himself.

“I'd like that very much if it's not too much to ask,” Cas told him.

“Gotta face my past sometime,” Dean said even though Cas couldn't fully understand what he meant by it. He pulled Cas into his workshop and let go of his hand, so he could dig his broken board out from behind his current projects.

“So, this is her,” Dean said, lifting the pieces with both hands. He placed the top half of the board on his workstation, and leaned the bottom half against his leg, bracing himself on it slightly.

“It's bigger than I expected. You surf a much shorter one now,” Cas said, stepping forward to look at the design on the board.

“Waves around here don't require it. Up the coast a little, you get the big hollow ones, and this baby would fly through them like she had wings,” Dean told him, caressing the dusty board reverently.

“She's a gorgeous board. I don't think we'll find one comparable,” Cas said, sounding a bit disappointed.

“I don't need to find a comparable board. Every time I look at this one, I feel sick. I don't think I can handle riding another board that means as much to me as the waves I take. Boards break. It's a fact of the sport. It shouldn't feel like someone is tearing part of your soul out when it happens,” Dean admitted, picking at the wax that still clung to the deck of the board.

“But what makes you good is that your pour all of yourself into it. You surf because it makes you feel like more than yourself, but to feel that, don't you need to give all of yourself?” Cas asked him, and Dean realized that Cas got it. He'd understood what Dean had been trying to show him. He actually got it.

“Yeah, but I don't know how much of me I have left to give. I almost gave my life last time, but I've got people I can't leave behind...I don't want to leave behind. So maybe, a part of me wants to pour my heart into a new board, into finding the best waves there are, but a larger part of me doesn't want to lose myself doing it,” Dean said, and he wasn't sure when they started holding hands, but his was securely wrapped in Cas'.

“You give a part of yourself to strangers every time you make one of these,” Cas said, gesturing around the shop with his free hand. “I don't know much about surfing, but I can see you put yourself into every board. You just need to keep a little for you for once. The only reason you're in danger of losing yourself is because you've never kept anything for you. I want to see the board you let yourself have, not the one you make out of what little scraps others have left behind,” Cas told him, pulling Dean against his body and wrapping his arms around him. “I know you don't like that I want to get you things, but I do it because you don't do it for yourself. You blame it on not having money, but even if you had as much money as my mother, you wouldn't spend any of it on yourself. It's who you are, and I want nothing more than to show you that you're worthy of good things.”

“History disagrees,” Dean told him, trying to avoid Cas' eyes, but Cas cupped his jaw and looked him in the eye.

“You were a child, Dean. You didn't deserve to lose your mother, and you bear no responsibility for your father's sins. Life hasn't been good to you, but that doesn't mean you deserve your misfortune,” Cas said, leaning in and kissing Dean before Dean could say anything in return. Dean couldn't fight the gentle kiss. He melted into Cas' embrace, and he didn't pull away even when the kiss tapered off.

“You're more than what you come from, Dean, whether you're on the waves or not, you're incredible,” Cas whispered into his ear. Dean sucked in a shaky breath, trying to calm himself.

They emerged from his workshop once Dean pulled himself together, and Dean spent another five minutes locating the lime green gun he had eyed from the day it arrived at the shop. Bobby had called it hideous, but Dean had loved the unusually bright color. It was also the same size as his old board, and it had the same heft to it.

“This is the one,” Dean told him, and Cas looked at the board studiously.

“Why this one?” he asked. He didn't sound doubtful, but curious as to Dean's process.

“I've had my eye on it since it arrived. Everyone hates it, but I don't know...It's got the same dimensions as my old girl, and it'll be easy to get used to. I just know it's the one,” Dean told him with a shrug as he held it out for Cas to get a better look.

“If you believe this is the one, then let's get it,” Cas said, pulling out his wallet and removing his credit card.

Dean waved him over to Bobby while he went to grab a leash off the wall. He watched Cas from afar as Cas talked quietly with Bobby. Dean knew he was in deep, but he was starting to suspect that Cas might be too.

Dean came home to a dark house that night. He assumed everyone was out as he unlocked the front door and pushed inside, carrying the board that he'd picked out with Cas. It was a basic board, but it would serve Dean's purposes. He didn't need fancy—if it floated, Dean would provide the magic.

Dean almost jumped when he flipped on the light in the living room only to discover Sam sitting on the couch in the dark.

“What the hell you up to? This some weird meditation shit, or you high as a kite?” Dean asked as he carefully put his board down.

“I'm not high,” was all Sam said, and Dean bit his tongue to stop from saying something rude.

“Where is everyone?” Dean asked instead, wandering into the living room and sitting on the other end of the worn out couch.

“Benny's working late then probably getting dinner with Pam. Charlie has a date,” Sam told him, pulling at a loose thread on his t-shirt. Dean was going to need to spring for some new shirts for him, because the ones he had were becoming obscenely tight.

“Oh, her girlfriend in town during the competition?”

“Yeah, Charlie got really dressed up and everything. Even stole that shitty cologne you wear when you're desperate to get laid,” Sam told him quietly.

“I'm never desperate to get laid. Men and women throw themselves at me,” Dean defended himself, and Sam actually laughed.

“Keep telling yourself that—”

Dean playfully hit him with one of the couch cushions to shut him up. He wasn't offended—sex, like surfing, took his mind off of his troubles. Though, Dean could admit it was pretty nice to have someone that kept coming back for whatever reason, and was always just a call away—or he would be, if Dean had a phone to call him on.

“What are you doing home? I thought you'd be at Ruby's tonight,” Dean asked, taking a good look at Sam. He didn't look so good. Even if he was sober, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was hunched in on himself.

“I told Ruby I didn't really know if I wanted to see her anymore,” Sam admitted, and Dean almost fell out of his seat.

“What? This afternoon you two were like Siamese twins.”

“I think you mean conjoined, and well that was before she told me what Lilith did to your board.”

“Sam, you don't need to break up with your girlfriend just because me and her sister had it out,” Dean told him, inching closer to Sam on the couch.

“I know that, but when I asked what you meant about Lilith, she laughed. She thought it was great, and I just... Sure, you piss me off sometimes, but you're my brother. What Lilith did was cruel, and Ruby just didn't care, and I don't know if I want to hang around someone like that,” Sam explained, and Dean wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulder.

“I'm not going to pretend that I'm upset about you dumping her, but I'm going to give you a little insight anyway,” Dean said, ruffling Sam's hair as he pulled him close. “Family is all we got around here. None of us have money. None of us have great educations. None of us have a ticket out of here. What we've got is family whether by blood or choice, but that's it. So, the way you're feeling because Lilith fucked with your family, Ruby's probably feeling the same about me for getting into a fight with Alastair.”

“So, you think I should have been more understanding and not told her I didn't want to see her anymore?”

“Hell no! I'm just giving you some brotherly advice,” Dean clarified adamantly.

“Yeah, thanks, it's not like you're ever around to do that,” Sam said bleakly.

“Well until recently you didn't need a whole lot of brotherly advice. You were doing pretty well all on your own until you started hanging around with Ruby's crowd.”

“Don't give me that shit; you used to hang out with them when you were my age,” Sam said defensively.

“Yeah, and a lot of good it all did me. I'm a high school drop out who can't pay his bills. Don't make dumb decisions just because I did,” Dean told him, not protesting when Sam pulled out of his hold.

“I'm a kid, I'm supposed to make dumb decisions.”

“Yeah, well your dumb decisions can get you taken away from me in a heartbeat. I get it. I'm not mom or dad. I'm a shit substitute, and I still make shit decisions myself, but all my shitty choices are in an attempt to give you a better chance than I had. You think I don't want to be home hanging out with you? You think I wanted to get back on a board six months after nearly dying? This is it, Sammy. This is my shot. My shot to have enough money to pay the mortgage, my shot at being something you and dad can be proud of.”

“Fuck Dad! I'm proud of you. You don't need to do anything but be my brother for me to be proud of you. You think I don't realize what you do for me? You think I don't feel guilty every damn day? You think I don't feel selfish for wishing you were around more often when I know you're working crazy hours and training like a madman just for me?” Sam retorted.

“I think you're still a kid, and you shouldn't have to feel guilty for being one.”

“You never got to be one!” Sam nearly shouted at him in frustration.

“Damn right, and I should've been, so don't use that as an excuse to throw your childhood away,” Dean argued, punching the back of the sofa.

“You act like it's just easy to be a kid when everything around you is completely fucked up. I can't just not worry about you. I can't just turn off the guilt because you asked me to. Like it or not, I'm still going to feel this shit even if you try to protect me from it. I'm still going to listen to hear whether you come home at night. I'm still going to notice when you skip meals just so I get fed. You're—”

“I talked to your principal today when I picked you up,” Dean cut in before Sam could say anything else.

“Did he call Child Services? I told him—”

“No. He thinks you have a ton of potential, but you need guidance you aren't really getting here. He suggested some summer camp thing for kids who know what they want to be at the age of fifteen,” Dean explained, getting up to pull the brochures out of his backpack.

“So, he wants to send me away.”

“Not permanently. He just thinks getting away from this for a while and getting to focus solely on you might help you,” Dean told him, handing over the colorful brochures.

“You agree with him? You want to send me away?”

“It's not like that, Sam, but I read through all of these with Cas, and they look really cool,” Dean told him, retaking his seat.

“Getting parenting advice from Cas now? Doesn't he have the biggest mommy issues on the whole island?” Sam asked skeptically, though Dean could see him itching to read what he'd given him.

“Not getting advice, just accepting help when I'm too close to be objective,” Dean admitted. “Just read them. I was skeptical until I read them all. They're at some really cool places,” Dean told him.

“I can see that. How would we pay for this if we can't even pay our phone bill?” Sam asked, opening the pamphlet about the Stanford program.

“Victor said he could get you funding if you were really interested.”

“You never accept handouts.”

“It's not a handout if you've worked hard for it,” Dean said.

“That's not what you say every time Bobby tries to pay the phone bill.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I need to work on accepting help once in a while...”

“This Cas guy must have some sort of super powers if he can get you to pull your head out of your ass.” Sam laughed when Dean punched him in the arm for that, and Dean couldn't fight his own smile.

“Don't give me that shit after your teenage angst fest,” Dean retorted.

“No, really. You guys are good? You really like him?” Sam asked seriously.

“Uh, yeah. We're good. I don't understand what he sees in me, but he's pretty great, and I figure that I might as well enjoy it while it lasts. He wants me to meet his family,” Dean told him with a hint of shyness in his voice.

“Dude, you're a catch. He probably thinks he's the luckiest guy in the world. Don't give me that bull. You're my brother; I know you're the shit,” Sam told him, giving him a playful shove. Dean grabbed him, and they started wrestling until they fell off the sofa.

“You eat yet?” Dean asked when they were both lying on the floor, trying to catch their breath.

“Nah, figured I'm make some ramen in a bit.”

“Let's go grab a burger,” Dean suggested.

“I thought we didn't have money for that,” Sam said seriously.

“The fourteen bucks it costs for a couple burgers and fries isn't going to be what keeps us from paying the bills. Come on, we haven't gone out in ages,” Dean told him, pushing himself off the floor.

“Awesome,” Sam agreed, getting up and running to grab his shoes. Dean laughed and grabbed his keys to go out again.

 


	6. Chapter 6

 

“Dean, you can't put off training now. The event is in less than a week,” Benny said as he watched Dean attempt to tie his tie. It was hopeless, and Benny stepped forward to do it for him even as he complained. “You're letting this Castiel cloud your mind, and then what's going to happen when you have to go out and surf the best set of your life? Rich businessmen with pretty blue eyes aren't going to win you a title and a sponsorship deal,” he argued, straightening Dean's tie just so.

“It's just one night. He asked me to go to this, and I can't back out now. I promise I'll be ready to go in the morning,” Dean said, using the smile that had been known to win him the ladies.

“Dean, I'm not standing in your way. I'm just telling you that you're going to hate yourself if you fuck this opportunity up. Castiel is going back to wherever he's from at the end of the week. You're stuck here with us for the long haul.”

“Don't bring down his spirit, Benny. Dean's getting to be the Belle of the ball tonight,” Charlie said from the doorway. She smiled at him happily. “I wonder if he'll ask you to dance? I bet he's romantic under all that scowling,” she said wistfully.

Dean shook his head and turned to Sam who was lying on his bed. “I suppose you have something to say too?”

“Don't get knocked up,” Sam said with a laugh, before pushing off the bed and walking around Dean, inspecting his suit.

Dean snorted. “How do I look?” he asked as he stood up straight, filling out the suit Cas had bought for him. Sam gave him a thumbs up.

“You put Harrison Ford to shame, and I don't say that lightly,” Charlie assured him.

“You look good,” Benny agreed. “Cas is a lucky guy.”

Dean smiled down at his shoes before grabbing his keys and heading over to Castiel's rental, so they could go to his mother's house together.

Cas was waiting for him outside. He was dressed in another dark suit, but it fit him perfectly. He definitely looked incredible, and Dean felt a little nervous about meeting the rest of his family.

“Sorry if I'm a little late, I don't really get invited to these sorts of things very often or ever,” Dean said as Castiel slid in beside him.

“You are on time. I just thought that I'd save you the trouble of coming in,” Cas assured him before leaning in for a soft kiss. “You look incredible,” he said into Dean's ear.

“Yeah, well it's hard not to look good in such an expensive suit,” Dean said, embarrassed.

“You look better than most,” Cas said as they pulled away. Dean didn't really know what to say, so he turned on the radio instead and let that fill his silence.

Cas talked about the tours he'd taken while Dean was training. He'd gone hiking, and he'd learned a lot about the island. “It's amazing how much I missed growing up here, especially now that I've moved to New York,” Cas said as he fed Dean directions to his mother's house.

“That's good, man,” Dean said. He was incredibly proud of Cas. He knew it took a lot for the man to tear himself away from his work, so it was pretty amazing that he'd had his phone off for most of his trip and was actually getting to know the place of his birth.

“I'm afraid this place seemed more like a prison than paradise when I was a child,” Cas mused as he looked out at the water as they climbed the hills toward his family's estate.

Dean's breath caught as they pulled through the gates of the Novak estate. He'd known they were richer than God, but to see it up close was daunting. “Wow, this place is—”

“Ostentatious? Tastelessly opulent? A waste?” Cas supplied as he pointed Dean to the valet.

“Big. Really, really big,” Dean said, almost hitting the poor valet he was so overwhelmed.

“It is also big,” Castiel sounded disgusted with the place, but Dean couldn't really understand how anyone wouldn't love it here.

“Cassy! Dean-o,” Gabriel said wandering out of the mansion, carrying an entire bottle of champagne. “Right on time for Mommy Dearest's birthday extravaganza,” he slurred a little over the words.

“Where are Tiffany and Cindi?” Dean asked, hoping there would be someone he could relate to at the party that wasn't parking the cars and therefore far away from the party itself.

“I wouldn't bring them to this! What do you take me for? Only a monster would put their significant other through a Novak family party,” Gabriel laughed then looked at Cas shaking his head.

Dean felt very uncomfortable as Cas clearly became angry at Gabriel's implications. “Come on, Dean. Let's get inside,” Cas said, taking Gabriel's bottle away from him as he walked toward the doorman.

Dean followed, slipping his hand into Cas' and giving it a slight squeeze to show his support. The doorman opened the ornate wooden doors for them with a nod. Cas marched past, but Dean spared the man a quick smile. The inside was just as overwhelming as the outside.

Dean could hear people talking as they wove through the open rooms, heading deeper into the house. “They can be hard to take, but just be polite, and they'll be polite as well,” Castiel warned before passing through the last room into a very large dinning hall filled with people in perfectly tailored clothing.

Dean took a deep breath and smiled as Cas began to work his way through the room, making introductions. Everyone was nice as Cas told them that Dean was a local surfer who was competing at a pro event soon.

“Oh that sounds lovely, Dean. That must be so exciting,” Anna said as she gripped Dean's bicep lightly. She seemed genuinely interested, and actually insisted that he tell her about the boards he designed as Castiel slipped away to get them champagne that didn't come out of Gabriel's bottle. “I'm an artist myself. I imagine a lot of yourself goes into every board you make,” she said as she guided him to the corner, so they wouldn't be interrupted.

“Yeah, I actually broke the first board I made for myself, and I've only been able to really think about making myself a new one since I met Cas,” Dean admitted as he sat down beside her on the window seat.

“Oh that's tragic. How did it break?”

“I had an accident. I almost drowned on a bad wipeout. My board snapped, but the half that was still attached to me stuck out of the water and alerted the lifeguards,” he said. It felt good to talk about it with a stranger. It had begun to feel like it had less power over his life as he finally admitted that it had happened, but he'd survived.

“Oh my God, and you still surf? I'd be so scared to do it again,” she said as she saw Castiel returning.

“It's my life. It's not that easy to walk away from,” Dean said as Cas leaned down to press a kiss to his temple as he handed him the champagne flute.

“He's an incredible teacher if you care to learn, Anna,” Castiel said with a reserved smile.

“I might have to take you up on that one day. It sounds very fun,” she agreed before Castiel pulled Dean away to continue introductions.

Castiel's mother and her brother were the last two that Cas brought Dean over to meet. Naomi Novak was a regal looking woman with eyes a shade lighter than Cas'. She held herself very straight, and her chin was always up. Zachariah Milton was the opposite. The man reminded Dean of a rat even though he was in an expensive suit and was beside the hostess.

“Mother, Uncle Zachariah, this is Dean Winchester. Dean, this is my mother Naomi and my Uncle Zachariah,” Castiel introduced as he approached the pair. Naomi looked down her nose at Dean then smiled demurely.

“It is a pleasure to meet the man who's captivated so much of my son's attention while he's been here,” she said as she raised her hand to take Dean's. Her shake was firm.

“The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Novak,” Dean said with a slight bow. Zachariah’s greeting was like shaking hands with a dead fish. It was limp and clammy, and left Dean feeling slightly dirty, but he smiled anyway.

“And what is it you do, Dean?” Zachariah asked, his beady eyes boring into Dean.

“I design custom surfboards,” Dean replied proudly. Maybe he wasn't rich, but he was proud of what he did. He'd taught himself everything, and he was successful by his own merits.

“Oh what a novelty,” Naomi said with a practiced smile. “That is far different than your last boyfriend, Castiel. What did he do again?” she asked, turning to her youngest son.

Castiel's face was completely blank as he turned to his mother. “He was a CEO of a Fortune 500 company,” he said tightly, before taking a sip of his champagne.

“Now, that's a career. Though, your success is nothing to sneeze at, Castiel,” Zachariah said raising his own glass.

“I don't think any career is less deserving of admiration than another so long as one works hard at it, Uncle. It is work ethic that is admirable. One's toil is only as praise worthy as the hands that do it,” Castiel said, pressing his hand to the small of Dean's back.

“What a clever speech, Castiel. You must speak when we do toasts,” Naomi said with another forced smile.

“I will put great thought into it, Mother,” Castiel said before guiding Dean away again. “I would say excuse them, but they don't deserve it,” Cas said as he led Dean toward one of his sisters. “This is Hannah. Hannah, this is Dean,” Castiel said.

“Oh, we've heard so much about you. It's a pleasure to meet you, Dean,” she said, taking his hand in a gentle shake.

Dean stayed on the periphery of conversations as the party wore on. Castiel's family seemed more than happy to ask him about his life, but they barely acknowledged Dean past the introduction. Dean finally leaned into Cas to tell him he was going to use the bathroom, before excusing himself quietly. No one seemed to notice.

Anna gave him directions with a smile and an invitation to join her in the sitting room away from the pomp and circumstance when he was finished.

Dean got lost twice before one of the many servers that was wandering around pointed him toward the bathroom. “Thanks, man. I don't know how these people don't get lost in their own house,” Dean said to the man.

“Oh, I've heard Uncle Zach got drunk and lost once. Ask Gabriel for the story,” the man laughed, before he went back to work. Dean laughed to himself as he wandered down the hall to the bathroom. Just as he was coming around the corner, he heard voices talking to each other.

“I can't believe that he brought that here. I mean we all slum it a little when we come here, but really? A surfer who's only job is making surfboards? He must be really mad at Aunt Naomi if that's how far he's willing to trawl,” a man's voice said from down the hall.

“I don't know. Did you get a good look at that man? He looked damn fine in a suit. It wouldn't be a hardship to get a piece of that for a couple weeks, and I mean the poor boy is obviously too poor to chase Cas back to New York, so it's a clean break. I think he's a genius,” a woman replied.

Dean felt sick as he listened to them talk about him. He wasn't sure which cousins they were, but it didn't really matter. It was clear that everyone, with perhaps the exception of Anna, thought Dean was worthless and just a piece of dirt that stuck to the bottom of Cas' shoe.

“I feel a little bad for Naomi, first Cas throws her offer of the company in her face, now he parades this arm candy around at her birthday party,” the woman continued.

Dean almost jumped when a firm hand clamped over his shoulder. “What'd I say, Dean-o? I wouldn't bring my worst enemy to a Novak family party. You should hear the way they say about each others children,” Gabriel said, his eyes much sharper than they'd looked in the driveway.

“We're sharks Dean. We smell blood in the water from a mile away, and you are little more than a bucket of chum. It's just in our nature to devour you,” he said as though he wasn't talking about ruining other people. “You know I tried to get out once? I tried to make my own way in the world and never look back, but here I am. Cassy's trying too, but he's still one of us no matter how much he rebels. He's still family.”

Gabriel turned and walked away shaking his head and drinking from another bottle. Dean felt his blood boil as he watched him wander off. “You're a coward, Gabriel. That's what you are. You didn't bring either of those girls tonight because you're afraid mommy will cut you off. You play at being a rebel without a care in your bright shorts and you flashy attitude, but you're just a little boy under you mom's thumb. Cas may be a lot of things, but at least he had the balls to think for himself,” Dean called after him.

“Maybe you're right, but I haven't hurt anyone with my foolishness. Can Cas say the same?” Gabe asked with a shrug.

“Fuck you, Gabe,” Dean said before marching toward the front door. He passed several people who'd come out to see what the shouting was about. He pushed past them, and the doorman held the door with a small smile as Dean walked out.

“Good on you, man,” the guy said as Dean walked toward the valet.

“Dean!” Cas shouted, but Dean kept walking. Someone must have told him his date was causing a scene. “Dean wait,” Cas pleaded. Dean could hear him running along the marble driveway in his dress shoes. Dean couldn't turn around. He couldn't bear to see the people who'd no doubt poured out of the house to watch.

“Dean,” Cas said again as he grabbed Dean's arm. Dean threw the hand off as he spun on Cas.

“What, Cas? Are you going to ask me to stay for another round of look down on the poor local? You know half of the island lives in poverty because the Novak family bought up all the land and made resorts we couldn't afford to live near? I can't even buy food some weeks because tourist prices are so jacked up? And you all live up here on the estate looking down on us and laughing at our misfortune. Yeah, I make surfboards for a living, and you know what I'm damn proud of that. I've raised my brother since I was a kid myself. I've been working since I was twelve years old, and I'm good enough at something that I got an invitation to a competition featuring some of the best surfers in the world. What's Naomi Novak ever been invited to that she didn't own?” Dean shouted at Cas.

Cas reeled back and just watched Dean's anger burn in front of him. “I'm sorry, Dean,” Cas said softly.

“You're sorry? What did you expect them to welcome me with open arms, or did you know this is how it was going to be and thought that might be fun?”

“No Dean, I'd never do that to you,” Cas said inching forward.

“Really? Because I know for a fact you aren't stupid, Cas. I thought you weren't cruel, but maybe you've always be that stuck up guy I met on day one. You're just a better actor than I thought,” Dean spat. “And you bought me clothes and dressed me up like a little doll. Even after I told you I didn't want your charity,” Dean said pulling off his suit jacket. His tie came off next. Cas lunged forward as Dean tore open the dress shirt, sending buttons scattering.

“What are you doing? Please, it was a gift. I didn't mean it as an insult,” Cas pleaded, trying to hold Dean's shirt closed. “I was stupid. I thought they would be respectful. I thought I could show off that a great guy was interested in me.”

“Don't lie to me,” Dean demanded.

“I'm not lying. I've never lied to you,” Cas cried as he pushed his forehead to Dean's. “I've always told you the truth. I'd never intentionally hurt you. I love you,” Cas clung to Dean's shirt.

“You can't love something you think is beneath you.”

“I _don't_ think you're beneath me. You're so much more than me. You're strong and you're kind, and you put all of yourself into those you love. You're trying for the most important thing in your life, and at the same time you are raising your brother and working and devoting hours to me when you don't have to. It wouldn't matter if you lived on the beach because you had nothing, Dean. You'd still be a great man,” Cas said adamantly.

“That's easy to say for someone who's never had to worry about actually losing everything, Cas. It doesn't matter how great I am if I lose Sammy or can't pay next month's bills,” Dean said, finally looking up to see that most of the party had come out to watch, including Naomi and Zachariah. “Please, if you care about me, Cas. Let me go with at least a shred of my dignity.”

“I'll go with you,” Cas said immediately.

“Not right now, Cas. I need to think,” Dean said as he turned away.

“Where are you going, Dean? Are you going to be okay?” Cas asked as he grabbed Dean's arm again. This time Dean didn't throw him off.

“You know where I'm going,” Dean said with a deep sigh.

“Be safe,” Cas said as he pulled Dean in for a slow kiss. Dean didn't pull back, but he didn't give much to the kiss. He wanted to cling to Cas, to believe that he wasn't just a giant 'fuck you' to Naomi or a piece of ass for the holiday. He wanted to believe in Cas like he hadn't believed in anything but the ocean, but all of his doubts came flooding right back in as soon as there was a crack in the dam. “ _Please_ be safe, Dean.”

“I'll try,” Dean said as he pulled away and got into the car that the valet had brought around. Cas stood in the drive watching Dean pull away, but Dean couldn't look back, or he'd be tempted to stop and let him come too. Dean needed to think.

He drove out to the beach only the locals used. It was deserted at this hour, and he staggered down to the water's edge as he'd done so many nights after nightmares tore him from sleep. He shook his head as he collapsed in the sand. He laid back and stared up at the stars as tears came to his eyes. He was too young for this, and he never really had a chance to be bitter about it between struggling to pay bills and raising his brother. He hadn't even had time to be bitter when he'd nearly died and was left with scarring all over his back and legs where the reef had torn into him.

Hot tears ran down his cheeks now. Bitter tears of lost innocence and broken dreams. Dean cried until he fell asleep in the sand beneath the stars like he'd done as a toddler on his mother's chest, long before he could remember. He'd cried then too, but he'd had Mary's soft voice to lull him to sleep.

Dean staggered back to the house around dawn. The porch light was still on, and as Dean pushed into the tiny bungalow, he found Charlie, Benny, Sam, and Pam sitting in the living room looking worried.

“Shit,” Sam said before he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Dean, hugging him tightly.

“Hey, kiddo,” Pam said, sounding worried as she stood from where she was sitting beside Benny.

“Why are you all still up?” Dean asked, even as he clung to Sam.

“Cas came by looking for you around midnight. He was a mess. Said you'd gone out to the spot, but you wanted to be alone,” Charlie explained.

“He's in the back room sleeping. He was in no shape to get home,” Benny said. “You can take my bed if that's a problem,” he offered.

As he was speaking, Castiel appeared in the doorway to Dean's room. He was still wearing his suit pants, but he was wearing one of Dean's t-shirts on top. Dean's heart clenched a little at how wrung out Cas looked.

“It's fine,” Dean said as he and Sam finally pulled apart. “I'm just gonna go to sleep,” he mumbled. No one said anything as he walked slowly across the room to where Cas stood. Cas stepped aside so Dean could get through, but Dean's hand snaked out and laced with Cas' as he went.

“I'm not talking tonight, Cas. I just want to sleep,” he said as he removed his clothes almost mechanically. Cas didn't interfere. He waited for Dean to fall onto the bed and reach his arm for Cas to join him. Dean let Cas pull him in and hold him.

“I'm sorry. I never wanted to make you doubt yourself,” he said as he held Dean tightly.

“It wasn't you. It was everything I haven't been facing for a long time,” Dean admitted before rolling to face away from Cas, but he pulled Cas' arm around his body. Cas took the invitation and spooned him as they both fell asleep.

Dean woke on his own several hours later. He pulled on his board shorts and his sneakers and started to stretch as Cas woke. “What are you doing?” Cas asked sleepily.

“Training, I've got a competition to kick ass at,” Dean replied.

“I'll come with you,” Cas said as he pushed off the bed.

“In your suit?”

“I'll borrow your shorts. You want to know I believe in you? I'll chase you across the island just to keep telling you,” Cas said as he walked over to Dean's mostly empty drawers and found a ratty pair of shorts before changing into them. Dean laughed at him, but he didn't tell him no.

Benny, Charlie, Sam, and Pam were all in the kitchen when they came out. “What are all of you doing?” Dean asked again, and Charlie snorted.

“We're here to help you. Enough of the Dean Winchester is an island show. We aren't going anywhere, Dean. We know you can do this,” she said earnestly, and Dean smiled.

They didn't all run with him that morning, but they took turns pushing him as the competition approached. They reminded him that he wasn't alone.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Dean walked to the table to get his number, Sam at his side. Sam was like an overexcited puppy as they walked through the crowds of people. “Garth said that the swell is going to build fast today, so be on your toes,” he said as he hurried beside Dean. Dean laughed as Sam started to list statistics. “Dean are you listening to me?” Sam asked as Dean signed the appropriate paperwork and received his tag.

“What's up, Sammy?” he asked holding up his number and smiling as Sam snapped a picture with the camera Cas had given him to use for the day.

“Dean, I just want you to know that Mom would be proud of you, and no matter what happens here we're gonna be okay. Just go out there and do what you do,” Sam said, pinning Dean's tag to his rash-guard for him.

“It's not that easy, Sam,” Dean said, ruffling Sam's hair affectionately because he really did appreciate his words.

“It's never easy, Dean, but we always get through. So go out there and remember that this is what you love doing, not what you're forced to do.”

“Thanks, Sammy,” Dean said, pulling Sam into a hug as they walked down to wait for Dean's heat. Benny and Charlie were waiting for them on the beach. Charlie was sitting on their cooler, smiling brightly as Dean and Sam joined them.

“Ready to rumble, young Skywalker?” she asked cracking open her own drink.

“Yeah, I think I'm ready for this,” Dean said as he looked out at the waves.

“You are,” Benny agreed, no doubt in his voice.

“Thanks, man,” Dean said, still keeping Sam close to his side. “Look at her, Sammy. She's on the woman's circuit. You should go talk to her,” Dean said pointing to a woman in shorts and a bikini top as she walked through followed by several other people.

“Dean, really? She's way older than me,” Sam groaned, but he stuttered when the cheerful blonde looked right at him.

“You know she's based in California,” Dean wheedled, playfully.

“How do you even know that?” Sam asked, still watching her as she pointed to the first heat of surfers that were taking off.

“Jessica Moore. Trust me, Sam. I know all of the top women and men,” Dean winked at him, and smiled when Sam groaned back. “Don't worry, I'll introduce you when I'm a star.”

“You're a jerk,” Sam grumbled, and Dean ruffled his hair once more just to irritate him.

Cas showed up with Gabe shortly before Dean's heat. Dean was down near the water, holding the board he'd picked out with Cas at his side. He was watching each of the other wildcard hopefuls as they took their rides. It wasn't Dean's first competition with pro surfers, but this was Pipe Masters. It was the culmination of the whole world championship tour, and he'd gotten to be one of the 32 contenders for two wildcard spots.

He took slow, deep breaths as he watched one of the other contenders drop into a really hollow barrel and just ride straight through it with finesse. He glanced back toward his crew as the heat came to a close, and Cas was standing there watching him, wearing one of the embarrassingly loud shirts that Charlie had made them all, with Dean's tattoo blazing in the middle of it. He smiled as Cas waved, and then he was rushing down to the water as his heat began.

Garth was right. The sets were building fast and the difference between two heats before and his own was staggering. The waves were breaking big and hollow, and Dean just watched the first few waves roll in. Drew, another man in his heat, went for one of the first set, and he dropped in and angled to take on what looked to be a big barrel, but it closed in on him too fast, and he ended up washed away with the white water.

Dean watched the other two men in his heat pick their rides, but he waited just watching the sets build. He saw his wave about halfway through the heat, and he paddled into position, calling the ride for himself as he angled even before he caught the wave, knowing instinctively where he wanted to be. The wave built fast, and he dropped in like a bullet riding down the face of the wave. He angled toward the barrel he saw forming, cutting up and down the face of the wave just enough to get his timing right, and when the peak collapsed forward opening the backdoor, Dean sailed through it. He ducked into a lay back as he rocketed through the barrel, focusing all his speed into getting to the other side of the peak before it closed on him.

Dean stood up tall as he came through the other side, and he cut up and down the shoulder of the wave, before cutting back and paddling out for another ride. He was hyped up as he ducked several waves to get back out to the pack. He couldn't fight the grin on his face as he searched for his next ride. His mind was clear of everything but the water beneath him, the sky above him, and the six feet of fiberglass he called home.

Dean's next ride wasn't a clean barrel, but Dean shredded the face of the wave. It wasn't necessarily what the judges were looking for when there was barrel after barrel rolling in, but Dean couldn't afford to waste any wave he took.

He was staring down a huge barrel as the heat ended, and he knelt down on one knee as he let his fingers skim through the wall of water hiding him from the open ocean. He smiled as the foam kicked up in his face, and he felt free for the first time in months. He remembered what it used to feel like when he picked up his board, before his father left, before he had bills to pay, and before the accident.

Dean wasn't looking at the scores when he came on shore. He had his eyes on Sam, Charlie, Benny, Bobby, and Cas. They were all there waiting for him as he jogged over. One of the other competitors came over to congratulate Dean on a great heat, and Dean thanked him, but wasn't really paying attention.

“Did you see that barrel? That was awesome!” Dean said as he grabbed Sam and pulled him into a hug.

“I recorded it. You were so good, Dean,” Sam said excitedly, not caring that Dean was getting him wet.

“You made it to the second round, congratulations,” Benny said and he pulled Dean into a hug as well. Dean grinned as he looked up at the scoreboard to see he'd won the heat.

Cas was standing to the side with Gabriel, waiting as Dean's family congratulated him. However, Dean waved him over and pulled him into a sinful kiss right in the middle of the crowd.

Dean's second heat was hard hitting and washed out two of the other surfers before Dean even took a wave. He watched the waves form, packing quite a punch, and he waited for one he could dance with. Dean was never particularly patient in any other aspects of his life, but he could wait out the perfect wave.

He saw it and pushed himself to paddle with all his strength, knowing that if he didn't get the drop on it, it'd drop him down into the tumble below. He rode low, building his speed, and he dropped heavy right down the front of the wave, he cutback hard when he saw the crest fold, and he flew through the barrel.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he rode it out and paddled back.

It was his next wave that brought his worries rushing forward. He caught a bad break on the barrel and the wave closed right on top of him, sweeping him up in the rush. It tumbled him hard, and he could hear the roar of the water loud in his ears just like the accident. However, he centered himself and didn't fight the current. He waited for the wave to carry him and counted in his head. He knew he had at least fifteen seconds before the next wave in the set hit him, and he pushed himself toward the way his board was trying to go, and he broke the surface for a big breath before diving under the next breaker.

It was enough for the jetski to find him and pull him back out. Dean concentrated on controlling his shaking hands as they rode back out. He jumped back into the water with a small smile to the lifeguard and paddled back for another.

He fought his way into the finals for the two wildcard spots, hanging onto several waves that wanted to buck him from the start. It was late in the day as they waited for the final to go off that Dean sat quietly watching the waves away from the competition.

Cas found him and sat silently beside him. Dean just watched the waves form and break. Cas leaned his head on Dean's shoulder as they both watched.

“I would like to apologize,” Cas said softly.

“For what?”

“For telling you that this all seemed like a waste of time. It didn't understand how important it could be to you, how important it would end up being to me,” Cas said.

“I told you, you'd change your tune,” Dean laughed.

“You did. You've also made me fall head over heels in love with you,” Cas told him.

“I still don't get what you see in me.”

“The judges and everyone on this beach certainly does, Dean. You're mesmerizing. Now, I want to see you prove to the world how great you are at surfing,” Cas said, squeezing his shoulder.

“You think I've got it in me?” Dean asked, never looking away from the water.

“I've never doubted you, Dean. None of us have. Now go win this for you because you don't do enough things for yourself,” Cas told him before helping Dean up. Dean let Cas kiss him softly before he grabbed his board and got ready for the last heat.

Before he ran down to the water, he looked back at Cas. “Cas? I think I might love you too,” he said, but the horn blasted for his heat, and he couldn't stay.

Dean dashed into the water and paddled hard for the break with the knowledge that he'd already won, and he surfed the set of his life. He caught a perfect barrel as the heat wound down, and no one could catch his score.

It felt surreal as he was surrounded by people congratulating him on winning the spot and the 100,000 dollar purse. Sam pulled him into a tight hug as he rushed down to him, and the rest of his family piled on around him, hugging him tight.

He'd have to face some of the top contenders in the world come morning, but Dean didn't care. He secured his position among some of the best in the world. He secured their bill payments, and he finally realized they maybe they were going to be alright.


	8. Epilogue

Dean stepped inside from the balcony, a towel wrapped loosely around his hips. The sun was just setting over the ocean not a mile away, and their hotel room had the perfect view.

Cas was laid out naked on the bed. His flight had come in just a couple hours ago, and he'd fallen asleep half undressed. Dean had helped him the rest of the way when he'd gotten back from the beach, then he'd gone and showered while Cas slept.

Dean stretched out on the soft covers as he flipped through the room service menu. He doubted that he'd ever get used to this. Room service, a gorgeous view, comfortable bedding, Cas.

It was still all so surreal. He'd placed at Pipe. He'd gotten sponsored. Sammy had gotten into the program in California. This sort of thing didn't happen to Dean.

Of course, John showed up about two weeks after word got out that Dean won the wildcard competition and placed in the actual event. Sam, Benny, and Charlie had tried to keep him out of the house, but it was still in his name, and the police had taken John's side. John had tried to hunt Dean down while the others scattered, so he could get 'his share' of the winnings. However, Dean had been staying with Cas until he returned to New York, and Sam stayed with them once John returned.

In the end, they still lost the house. Charlie joined her girlfriend traveling and doing surfing photography. Benny finally admitted he was dating Pam, and he moved in with her. Dean and Sam moved into Bobby's spare room, finally accepting the help he'd been offering for years. Dean insisted on paying rent though, and when he was away at competitions, he now had a phone to call Sam with everyday. He may have also used it to call Cas at inappropriate times and get him thoroughly hot and bothered.

Now Sam was in California for the summer, and Dean had a week off, so he figured he would come surprise him. Sam had actually tackled Dean when Dean showed up at the dorm he was staying in, he was so happy to see him. Cas had shuffled his schedule to be able to join them as well.

Dean was brought back to the present as a sneaky hand slipped under his towel. “I noticed someone's been taking naps,” Dean teased, not moving Cas' hand from his inner thigh.

“Someone told me they were great for boosting sex,” Cas said groggily.

“That guy was pretty smart.”

“Very good in bed too,” Cas laughed softly, trailing his fingers over Dean's sensitive skin.

“Sam called and said he was going to meet us here, so we could all grab dinner. Said a friend was going to drive him or something,” Dean told him as Cas followed his hand and began to kiss Dean's inner thigh.

“So, we shouldn't waste time,” Cas told him between teasing kisses.

Dean laughed, running his fingers through Cas' messy hair. “You're awfully impatient for a 'dignified' businessman,” Dean joked, and he received a pinch on the thigh from Cas.

Cas pulled him down the bed and pinned him down as he kissed him hungrily. “I've missed you,” Cas told him as they broke apart to catch their breath. “I hate that I have obligations that keep me from you for so long,” he finished in a growl.

Dean reached up and buried his fingers in Cas' hair, pulling him in for another heated kiss. He wrapped his legs around Cas' hips and thrust against him. He was rewarded by a breathless gasp from Cas, before Cas met him with a thrust of his own.

“I'm here now.”

“I'm very aware of that,” Castiel deadpanned, wrapping his fingers around their erections and beginning to stroke them both. Dean continued to pull at Cas' scalp as he felt pleasure pooling in his stomach. Cas looked equally turned on and close to finding release.

After only a few more strokes, Cas tensed and came above Dean. He spilled over their cocks and between his fingers even as he continued to stroke them together. Dean didn't stop kissing him fiercely as Cas gasped and panted through his released.

Right as Cas collapsed on Dean's chest, too exhausted to hold himself up any longer, Dean's phone rang, playing Sam's ringtone. “Shit, I need to take this,” Dean apologized. Cas didn't move from where he'd fallen, and Dean didn't remove his fingers from where they massaged Cas' head, even as he grabbed the phone with his other hand. “Hey Sammy...you're down stairs...on your way up, oh. Okay, well we're here,” Dean told his brother before hanging up.

Cas was already stroking Dean's cock again. “He'll be up in like two minutes,” Dean said, shuddering at how good Cas' touch felt.

“Guess I need to work fast,” Cas said with a challenging light in his eye.

“You really think you can get me off before he gets here?” Dean asked skeptically.

“I never back down from a challenge,” Cas said, taking Dean's cock in his mouth hungrily and immediately bobbing his head. Dean gasped and covered his eyes with his arm as Cas took him deep. Cas scored his blunt nails down Dean's thighs as he went, and Dean arched off the bed in a cry of pleasure. Cas continued to swallow him down, using his fingers to press at Dean's entrance which always made Dean fall apart.

Dean came with a shout not a minute late, shaking violently through his orgasm, and Cas didn't let up until Dean had collapsed back onto the bed with labored breath. Cas gave him a bit of a smug look before hopping off the bed and walking into the bathroom. Dean figured he was getting them something to clean up with, but then he heard the shower turn on and the door lock.

“Shit,” he cursed as he pushed himself off the bed on shaky legs and rushed to the bathroom door. “Cas let me in. I can't open the door to Sam covered in both our come,” Dean said, but he could already hear Cas in the shower—the bastard. Dean grabbed a tissue and a water bottle and did a meager job of cleaning up the mess even as he heard Sam knocking on the door.

Dean shoved on a t-shirt and a pair of board shorts and dashed for the door. Sam was standing on the other side with a now familiar blond beside him.

“Hey Sammy. How's it going, Jess?” Dean greeted them as they filed into the room.

“Jess said she'd drive me up here, and I invited her to...oh gross, Dean. Your room smells like sex!” Sam groaned, wrinkling his nose as he looked around at the unmade bed and the clothes scattered about. “ _Gross_.”

“It happens, Sammy. Haven't seen Cas in six months. What do you think we're going to do?” Dean asked shoving clothes out of sight. Jess was standing behind Sam laughing with her hand over her mouth.

“So, are you two a thing or—”

“Dean!”

“What? I'm your legal guardian. I get to ask awkward questions,” Dean said.

“We're taking it slow. Me being on tour and all, and Sam still being in high school. I'm sure you know how difficult it can be,” Jess answered as Castiel stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed, and looking completely relaxed. Dean was going to kill him.

“That's a very mature approach,” Cas said when Dean was too busy glaring at him.

“We wouldn't know anything about that,” Dean muttered before grabbing his keys and wallet. “Where you guys want to go?” Dean asked slipping into his flip flops and herding everyone out the door.

“Jess was telling me about this restaurant around here that sounded really good,” Sam said as they walked down the hall.

“Oh yeah, either of you know how to get to it?” Dean asked, wrapping his arm around Sam's shoulder and pulling him in tight. He didn't miss the soft smiles that both Jessica and Castiel wore as he held his brother close.

Things were definitely different now, and maybe no less crazy, but Dean was happy. He still woke sometimes after dreaming that he'd drowned, but most nights he dreamed of riding the perfect wave. Those nights he felt like he was flying instead of drowning, and he was alright with that. His family was safe and happy. His friends were doing well, and Dean was finally able to take a little something for himself.

 

The End

**Author's Note:**

> We really hope you enjoyed this story. I know I had a lot of fun writing it and putting it all together.


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